How I Rule The World
by The Sarcasm Master
Summary: Max has always wanted to rule the world. But once he actually manages to take over the world with the help of an underground conspiracy...he's starting to find that the job isn't all it's cracked up to be.
1. Chapter 1: Contract

**After completing FDTD today, this is going to (hopefully) be my next long-term project. This is my first attempt at a "dramedy," as all of my previous stories have either been mostly drama or mostly comedic. Balancing the two is the goal of this fic and we'll just have to see how it goes.**

* * *

_"This is Evil One, can anyone read me? Repeat, this is Evil One, can anyone read me?"_

_"Uggggh, I still don't get why we have to do this. I mean, it's like the boss just watched Star Wars and went like, 'hey, those squadron names sound cool. How about I name the members of my infiltration team like that! Except instead of things like "Red" or "Rogue," I'll use the word EVIL. That won't be stupid at all!"_

_"Watch your mouth, Evil Two. Our leader is one of the WISEST men on the planet. I have no doubt that he knows EXACTLY what he's doing."_

_"James, are you sure-"_

_"Ahem."_

_"Ugh, FINE. EVIL ONE, ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?"_

_"One hundred percent, Evil Two."_

_"Okay, whatever. I'm in position. This heist should go well as long as Max doesn't do anything-"_

_*CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH*_

_"...stupid."_

Evil Two groaned and looked around at the screens in front of him, examining the security footage throughout the bank. Quickly he found the diminutive purple-haired man on the monitors. He appeared to be kicking around a detached Chrisbot head for some reason. Quickly, Evil Two changed his channel so that he could talk directly to the boss.

_"Yo boss. You do realize that you're going to trigger every alarm in the entire building, right?"_

_"STUPID! NON-EVIL! PANSYBAG OF A HOST! HE IS THE WORST KIND OF EVIL!"_

_"Sir, you do of course realize that you're making yourself look like even more of an incompetent moron than usual, right?"_

_"Evil Two, I am providing your paycheck."_

_"Okay, good point. The vault is set to open in about five minutes. Evil One is currently in the garb of a security guard, meaning you should be able to get into the vault no problem."_

_"Excellent work, my minion! Soon this bank shall be OURS! MWA HA HA-"_

_"Shut up! Do you WANT to give yourself away?"_

_"...sorry." _It was quiet a bit before Max whispered _"Not sorry" _unknowingly into his microphone.

Evil Two changed the channel. Max's nasally voice could really grate on the nerves. To be perfectly honest the only reason Evil Two was there was because of the money. No other reasons. Evil One was a dumbass and had worked with Max before. He sighed, wondering how he'd been reduced to taking orders from a psychopathic manchild with grandiose delusions of conquering the world.

Evil Two leaned forward as Evil One appeared on the screens near Max, key in hand. The safe would be opened and in that safe was a precious gem. How obtaining this gem could lead to world domination was anyone's guess, but if Evil Two had to guess, he'd likely say that Max was only stealing it because he thought it looked pretty.

He certainly wouldn't put it past the midget.

Evil One arrived next to Max, key in hand. Sighing, Evil Two tuned into their conversation, just to see what kind of moronic shit would spew out of their mouths.

_"Sir! It's nice to see you again!"_

_"Of course it's nice to see me! I AM your future evil overlord, after all!"_

_"Yes sir! I must say, this is one of your most brilliant plans yet!"_

_"I humbly accept your gratitude, and remind you that it wouldn't have been possible without your help."_

_"No, it's all on you, sir."_

Evil Two groaned, placing a hand to his forehead. Sometimes he wondered if Evil One and Max were in a secret relationship and it was just that no one was telling him. A rather lewd picture came into his head and immediately wished he had some brain bleach. Groaning, he cleared his throat and interrupted their conversation.

_"Look, you might not realize it, but we ARE on a schedule. Get a move on."_

_"Sorry, Evil Two. We won't let it happen again."_

Evil One gave a thumbs up to the camera. In his hand he held the key and turned to insert it, however, Max shoved him aside, shouting something about how he should be the one to open it. In his grandiose gestures, Max knocked over a vase nearby.

Evil Two facepalmed as all hell broke loose.

"Shit shit shit shit shit..." Evil Two groaned, quickly pedaling through screens, observing guards come rushing towards Max and Evil One.

_"This is Evil Two. The plan has been compromised, repeat, THE PLAN HAS BEEN COMPROMISED!"_

_"GEE, what gave it away?" _A tinny voice came through the speakers.

_"Get out of there NOW!" _Evil Two yelled, pressing a key. The door opened and behind him several guards walked in, brandishing weapons.

"FREEZE!" One of them yelled, and Evil Two turned around, defenseless. Sighing and gritting his teeth, he raised his hands in the air in surrender.

"Max, if you leave me here..." he growled, before the guard smashed his headset.

Meanwhile, Max and Evil One scrambled for escape.

"EVIL TASER!" Max yelled, shocking the guard.

"Nice work, sir!" Evil One replied.

"You are welcome, minion! Now, let us make our dramatic escape through the window! CHARGE!" Max ran towards the window.

"Sir, I'm not sure that that's the best-"

*CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH*

Max lay on the ground, bleeding, as he had jumped out the window. Which doesn't exactly work the same way as it does in the movies. Max coughed weakly as voices resounded in his head. The darkness surrounded him as he saw Evil One stare at him from the second story hallway. He staggered to his feet, examining the glass cuts on his hands.

He glanced around, still woozy. Failure. The thirteenth failed heist, to be exact. His mother's budget would soon be running out and still he had gained nothing. Somewhere in his overly egotistical mind he probably could have made out an emotion known as regret. But as it was, he just knew that he had a sinking feeling inside him and wasn't entirely sure what it was.

"You're in quite the predicament, aren't you?"

The voice came from behind him, and Max whipped around to face the voice. The figure was difficult to make out in the darkness. In the background, police sirens filled the air.

"Who...are you?"

The figure chuckled. "I represent a very rich and powerful benefactor, who has taken an interest in you, Max. Personally, I don't see it."

"Do I...know you from somewhere?"

"I competed with you. Pahkitew Island. I wasn't the biggest fan of yours," the man said. "But hey! A prior connection is why I was selected for this assignment."

"What is it that you want with my evilness?"

The man stepped towards him and calmly pulled a silenced pistol out of his pocket. He proceeded to shoot two guards that had come up behind Max. "You have potential, Max. You just haven't yet realized it. We can provide you with the best of the best technology and advisers. This is your lucky break."

"What are you saying?" Max asked, still woozy.

It was difficult to tell in the darkness, but the man might have smirked.

"That we could help you conquer the world."

Max's eyes lit up. "R-really?"

The man nodded. "Yes. Really." He extended his hand. "Would you care to come with us?"

Max nodded, a gleeful look on his face as he stepped forward...and promptly fell on his face.

The man sighed and shook his head. "I can tell this is going to be quite the ordeal..."

* * *

**Ten Years Later**

Arranged are some newspaper snippets that tell the story of how Canada, led by former Total Drama contestant Max Vile, managed to conquer the world.

**RUMORS OF CONSPIRACY IN CANADA**

**PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA DECRIES RUMORS, CALLS THEM "DESIGNED TO CAUSE UNREST"**

**PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA ASSASSINATED**

**INSURGENT CALLING HIMSELF "MAX VILE" TAKES OVER CANADA**

**WHITE HOUSE BLOWN UP, MAX VILE SAYS "I DIDN'T DO IT"**

**NUKES DETONATED IN EUROPE, MAX VILE SAYS "I DIDN'T DO IT"**

**CHAOS SPREADS AS NUCLEAR FACTORIES ARE SABOTAGED FROM THE INSIDE**

**U.S, ENGLAND, AND FRANCE DECLARE WAR ON CANADA**

**U.S IS BOMBED, ENGLAND AND FRANCE GO BOOM BOOM**

And so on. As to how Max Vile was capable of capable of almost effortlessly defeating some of the greatest military powers in the world and claiming the entire world for his own, there are many theories. That is to say, there _were_ many theories before the events of today. It almost seemed like something out of an Austin Powers movie, and yet, it was happening. Through surprise, ruthlessness, and the fact that he had no idea what he was doing, Max managed to actually conquer the entire world.

However, when it comes to the matter of his funding the details are a bit more dubious.

There were rumors abound that Max had entered a pact with an underground group that had its hands in _everything _in the world. Similar but not exactly related to the Illuminati. Of course, in this case, the fact that _Max_ was in charge should have signaled that something was very, very wrong with the world. And not just the fact that a purple-haired moron had nuked half of it.

If Max had indeed allied himself with a generic and mysterious group, then what incentive could they have for keeping _him_ of all people on the throne of power?

After the events of today, I have decided to reveal these secrets. For months, years I have searched for the truth, a reason as to why Max Vile had become our incompetent ruler. This is the story of a vast web of secrets and lies that have existed for longer than we'd care to admit. This is the story of how a grandiose, moronic, psychopathic manchild managed to realize his grandest dreams and actually took over the world.

Only to realize that he was hopelessly, no,_ pathetically_ out of his depth.


	2. Chapter 2: Control

Max had chosen New York City as his capitol of choice, insisting that his subjects refer to it as Gotham.

The Empire State Building's top half had been toppled, as if someone had took a wrecking ball to it and was too lazy to finish the job. Which was the truth, actually. Max had had his men lug over a crane with a wrecking ball attached, and promptly swung it into the tower at about the fiftieth floor, before getting bored and demanding that the crane be taken apart because it was "not befitting of his evilness."

Having been too lazy to use resources, Max decided to just build his evil tower on top of the remnants of the State Building. Robots and laborers worked on the tower that had to be designed to Max's exact specifications, no matter how non-architecturally sound it was. The first time they'd tried to set it up, it fell right back down, killing thirty people. Max had sighed at the collateral damage before hiring a team of architects. Within a year, the ETOD (Evil Tower of Doom) had been created as Max's symbol of fear throughout the world.

It bore a resemblance to Saruman's tower from The Lord of the Rings, but shorter. Max remained in the "throne room" of sorts, crafted to meet his megalomaniac desires. The entirety of the room was purple and black, with sinister lighting and a full window as a wall behind Max's lavish chair. The desk in front of Max was filled with all sorts of seemingly important papers. Emphasis on "seemingly." The papers' actual purpose was to give the evil overlord an impression of being busy.

Max's pug, Freckles 2.0 remained in his lap at all times. He liked to stroke the dumb animal all the time, especially during meetings. More often then not there would be a serious conversation going on and Freckles would let out a series of grunts and snorts that completely destroyed the atmosphere of the situation.

Not all of his newly acquired funds had gone to furthering himself, though. Max had spent a generous amount creating a mansion for his parents. A thank you, of sorts.

"Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah!"

Max realized that he'd been drifting off, and directed his attention back to the meeting at hand.

Namely, that of the trial of everyone who had ever wronged him.

"Look, I was just doing my job!" Chris McLean pleaded. "Reality TV show hosts do this kind of thing all the time! It wasn't a personal statement against you or anything! R-remember when I spared you from elimination?"

Max glared at the pleading man, stroking his pug evilly. Guards stood on either side, guns at the ready. "You eliminated me unfairly. You STOLE the money from me! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO DESERVE AN ELIMINATION!"

"We needed a double elimination to fit the thirteen episode limit!" Chris laughed nervously. "Seriously dude, just chill. I can give you whatever you want. Chicks, money, beer, anything."

"You _will _give me _all _those things. All. Of. Them," Max said with a wicked grin. A figure in a suit skulked around in the shadows, muttering to himself. Max paid him no attention.

Chris continued to laugh, backing up anxiously. "I...could be useful to you. Where's Chef? Why isn't HE here?"

Max sniffed in disdain. "I tried to bring him in as well. My men came home screaming."

"Was he that terrifying?"

"Well...apparently they saw something so unspeakably evil that they were blinded," Max said, hesitatnt to report the failure of his men. "You...probably do not want to know, worm."

Chris narrowed his eyes. "So you're going after me because...I kicked you off of Total Drama?"

Max nodded and smiled. "That's it! You're learning!"

"Look, kid," Chris said. "I don't know _how _you managed to actually take over the world, but killing me won't help. I mean, sure it might make you feel better, but you still have that huge nuclear epidemic in Europe and all, and-"

"Shut up, please," Max said, trying to ignore what he was saying.

"-those poor people being exposed to radiation and all. I mean, yeah, I exposed people to radiation but I didn't do it on a widespread scale. You have one cold heart dude, some of these babies that are being made are _gross."_

Max plugged his fingers in his ears. "La la la! I'm not listening! Stop filling me with your lies! My rule is perfect!"

"Oh, and the famine, pestilence, death and war. Man, dude, you brought the four horsemen to Earth all by yourself. Congrats."

Max slammed his hand down on a button, and a trap door opened up beneath Chris. The host screamed as he tumbled down the chute. He felt a glow on him and couldn't quite figure out what it was.

Chris McLean burned to death in lava.

The trapdoor closed and Max pet his pug contentedly. "Anyone else have any complaints about my rule?"

A chorus of murmurs. All the guards shook their head. The figure in the shadows continued stalking about, whispering on the phone to somebody.

Max looked down at his list of wrongdoers, knowing and dreading what came next but having to do it anyway.

_Max's List of People Who Need To Die Who Have Wronged Me, I Mean Him. Yeah. (in ascending order of crime.)_

_1\. That kid who keeps throwing rocks through my window._

_2\. Dennis Smith (MEANIE)_

_3\. Sugar (SHE MUST NEVER MOCK MY EVIL EVER AGAIN)_

_4\. Chris McLean_

_5\. Scarlett_

Max gulped. Four out of five were down. All that remained was...her. Even though his men had brought in a report that they'd captured her without much problem, Max was still on edge. Not that he'd let anyone know that. As of right now, she just needed to be let in. He'd brag for a bit, and then open the trapdoor and savor her demise.

"Bring her in," Max said, as authoritatively as he could. He heard a sigh from the shadowed figure but payed him no attention.

Scarlett walked in, arms handcuffed behind her back, her hair in disarray. There was no sign of insanity, only tiredness. She wore a jumpsuit and her glasses were shattered slightly. The two guards kept their guns on her at all times. Scarlett's eyes narrowed as she saw Max.

The door slid shut behind them and it was quiet for a moment.

Then Freckles snorted.

"Nice beast you have there," Scarlett sneered, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "How goes the task of governing a world filled with radiation poisoning, rampant disease, and widespread hunger?"

"Very well, thank you," Max sneered right back at her. "I'm very busy making sure there's at least one statue of me in every city. Those damned bodies seem to keep getting in the way though. I don't really get it."

Scarlett snarled. "You have no idea what you're doing. Do you."

Max furrowed his eyebrows. "Of course I know what I'm doing! Why should I care what minor problems people are dealing with? I have much more important things to take care of, like RULING THE WORLD!"

"Ruling the world means you have a responsibility to it," Scarlett replied evenly. "The only reason you haven't been deposed is because people are too scattered and too weak to strike back. You are incompetent."

"Scarlett, let me tell you something," Max said, setting Freckles down on his desk and standing up. He walked over to his former sidekick, talking as he did so. "I'm keeping them in fear," he said, tucking his arms behind his back and looking up at the imprisoned lunatic. "I have the entire world under my control. Maybe _you're _just jealous that I did it FIRST."

Scarlett seethed. "I am NOT jealous of you," she glared at him. "As a matter of fact, I PITY you! Yes, I had ambitions of world domination! But you are doing it ALL WRONG!"

"What do you mean?" Max asked, bewildered. "I have everything! The sinister tower! The animal in my lap! The high-backed chair! The guards with exceptionally poor aim! WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M DOING IT WRONG?"

"The people have to both respect you and fear you," Scarlett said, fury rising in her voice. "The people may have a responsibility to you, but as a result _you also have a responsibility for the people._ What good is ruling the world if half its inhabitants are either dead, starving, or radiation-affected? They _will _eventually rise up, and your moronic rule will come to an end. It's not that you conquered the world that upsets me," Scarlett said, stepping forward and looking down at her suddenly meek overlord.

"It's that you did it all in the absolute dumbest way possible."

Max looked dumbfounded for one moment.

Then he pulled out his gun.

"That's it, SIDEKICK!" he yelled, spitting in her face. "I'm going to silence you ONCE AND FOR ALL! YOU'VE WRONGED ME FOR THE LAST TIME!"

He raised the gun and prepared to fire.

"Wait! WAIT! STOP!" The figure from the shadows ran out, placing himself between Max's gun and Scarlett. Scarlett's eyes widened as she recognized yet another Total Drama alumni.

"Dave, what are you doing?" Max snarled, attempting to push him aside. "She's a big meanie and I WANT TO KILL HER! GUARDS, TAKE THIS MAN ASIDE!"

Dave shook his head. "Look, we've been working together a long time, and you trust my judgment, right? Don't kill her."

"Dave, do you want me to get out the grease gun again?" Max growled.

"NO NOT THE GREASE GUN!" Dave flinched, before realizing that he'd just embarrassed himself. "Look, I've helped you get here and since when have I ever led you wrong? Scarlett is dangerous, yes. But she'd be more useful alive."

"I don't care," Max whined. "I want her dead! And because I want it, IT MUST HAPPEN!"

"I'm not about to let you grease my new suit," Dave whined right back. "So I'm putting my foot down."

"I AM YOUR EVIL OVERLORD! YOU MUST OBEY ME!"

"I've helped you get here from day one, no matter how much I might hate you!"

"GIVE ME ONE REASON WHY I SHOULD LET HER LIVE!"

"I ALREADY DID, YOU BRAINLESS PIG!"

Scarlett looked decidedly unimpressed. "Uh, boys? Can I go now?"

It was quiet as both Dave and Max turned to look at her. Max let out a deep sigh.

"Take her to the prison, and use her to...um...help. Or something. Have her do something non-evil. So that she doesn't escape."

Scarlett smiled affably as the guard roughly shoved her out of the room. "You won't regret this!" she yelled as the guards pushed her through the door.

As it slid shut, Max turned on Dave.

"I feel like that too many of my acquaintances these days are from that show," Max sighed, returning to his seat.

"I'm not from the show, sir!" Evil One said, popping up out of nowhere. "You can always talk to me!"

"You are appropriately evil and all," Max sighed, fondling Freckles in his hands dramatically, ignoring the fact that Evil One had seemingly materialized out of thin air. "But sometimes, I wish I had an...actual...sidekick." He turned to Dave, who had his arms folded and was nervously looking around to make sure that the grease gun was nowhere nearby. "You don't count."

"I wouldn't want to be your sidekick anyway," Dave sneered.

"Good."

Max started squishing Freckles's face. "Who's a good little boy? Who is? You are! Yes you are!" He said in his baby voice.

Freckles snorted right in his face. "D'aaaaawwwwwww..."

"Are you actually going to get anything done?" Dave asked incredulously. "Look, we can't keep funding you if you're just going to waste it all."

Max cleared his throat. "As a matter of fact..." He opened a drawer and drew a stack of papers out and promptly handed it to Evil One. "I am! Or rather, Evil One will! He will be going through all this paperwork and signing things, and performing all the boring stuff. Sounds fair, right?"

"Uh," Evil One began.

"Excellent! I knew I could count on you! Now if you'd excuse me, I have a bubble bath to get to."

"Sir, I don't exactly know what I'm doing-" Evil One began, but Max was already out the door, home free.

Dave sighed and shook his head. "Sucks to be you, bud. Sucks to be you."

And with that, the hypochondriac left the room.

* * *

Max hummed to himself inside his bubble bath, acting like a little kid despite being thirty or so. His phone rang, and reluctantly he answered.

_"Sir, apparently the council of Asia is struggling to provide for-"_

"Don't care."

Later, Max was receiving a massage when his phone buzzed again. Once again, Evil One was on the other end.

_"Sir, one of Japan's nuclear reactors just exploded again! What do I do?"  
_

Max sighed. "Don't care."

Max moved on to his quarters and dismissed his guards before petting Freckles.

Once again, his phone rang.

_"Sir, a drunkard just came into the building and murdered three people!"_

Max groaned, and put his mouth up to the phone. "For the _last time. I. Don't. Care."_

He shut his phone and relaxed.

Five seconds later, his phone rang again.

"WHAT IS IT NOW?" he bellowed.

"Uh, did I come at a bad time?" a meek voice not belonging to Evil One answered.

"Oh. Sorry," Max said sheepishly. "Thought you were someone else.

"A-anyway sir," the man stuttered. "Just thought you might want to know that there's talk of an underground resistance meeting this week. They've covered their tracks well, but I thought you might want to know."

Max mused for a moment, and envisioned the opening scene of A New Hope, with the Stormtroopers cutting down anyone in sight, backed by the almighty Vader. In his imagination, Max put himself in Vader's shoes, eliminating all traces of a Rebel Alliance, striking fear into the populace.

Unbeknownst to him, he'd started breathing heavily in imitation of Darth Vader. On the other end, the young man was very confused. It was funny.

"Uh, sir?"

Max snapped back into reality. "My apologies. Thank you. I'll be taking care of this personally."

"Uh, you're welcome. I guess."

Max hung up, and a maniacal grin formed across his features.

"I did this all wrong, huh? I'll show them...I'll show them..."


	3. Chapter 3: Rally

When looking at New York, *ahem,* Gotham, you would first see that it was in very, very good condition on the outside. Things were kept clean, the buildings were sleek, and Dave had convinced Max to just let the system operate the way it had before he'd taken it over, meaning that it was essentially running separate from Max...he just happened to be the leader was all. So for the most part, Gotham was spared of Max's stupidity minus the Empire State Building thing. People essentially just stayed as far away from him as possible and for the most part it was fine. Almost normal, even.

Then he decided to put his face everywhere. On statues, on billboards, and one could not go ANYWHERE without seeing a message from their dear leader. But as long as you could deal with seeing a little purple-haired gnome everywhere, you were fine.

Then he decided to have drones patrol the entire city. Yeah.

Outside the city was even worse, though. All the crops had withered up and died and Brooklyn had been brutally destroyed because Max didn't like their accents.

It was in this ruined city that the rebellion was gathering. Not that one would notice. The instructions had been quite clear to remain as inconspicuous as possible and to talk to the scavenger seemingly tearing through the rubble. The "scavenger" was switched out every couple of hours, and it was very clear that if someone else was already in the area, they would need to wait at least twenty minutes after the people were directed to the meeting place before talking to the scavenger. They couldn't afford to act suspicious. Not that Max deemed it necessary to patrol a wrecked city, he didn't see the point in it. But it never hurt to be cautious.

The two cloaked people moved quickly through the rubble, glancing around nervously for any cameras. None appeared to be active.

The scavenger waved to them and the two cautiously slipped over to him. The scavenger cast his eyes around, making sure no one else was around.

"Brooklyn Museum," he murmured to them. "What's left of it, anyway. We're gathering there, you're just in time. We have people in the air for once, so that way the morons can't find us. Seriously, just follow the noise."

"What was the point of us talking to you then?" one of the men asked.

"Well, you'd be surprised how easy it is to get lost in this place."

The scavenger pointed south. "Thataway."

"Yeah, whatever."

The two poor men started walking and the scavenger continued to dig around, face concealed. He held up his watch and whispered into it. "Nearly all the rebels have been gathered. Might I say that this is one of your best plans yet, sir."

"Thank you, Evil One!"Max's voice came through the speaker, and then laughed maniacally. Max remained inside a dark room as makeup and costume were applied so that their lord could make a grand and personal entrance to the rebel meeting before killing all of them.

_"_Uh, are you guys forgetting that it was _my idea?" _Dave asked from a third point. Dave currently was in a room full of monitors, calmly watching the mass of people meeting on the steps of the former museum through supposedly destroyed cameras. His legs were kicked back and he reclined in his chair, applying hand sanitizer every couple of minutes out of habit. Wait, did I say minutes? I meant seconds.

"No, we are not forgetting that this was your idea, Dave," Max said. "It's just that if anyone asks who came up with the idea of getting Evil One to infiltrate the meeting and herd them all into one place so we can murder them all, I'll say it was all my idea! No big deal."

There was an audible groan on Dave's end at this.

Evil One checked his watch. Five minutes until that radical would begin his speech, so therefore there were five minutes to get over there. "I'm moving in," he said. "I say we hit them now."

"No," Max said.

"No?"

"Don't you see? We hit them during the speech! That makes it ten times more dramatic!"

"But...we have everything in position, sir."

"Evil One, are you questioning my authority?"

"Of course not, sir!"

"Then do as I say!"

Evil One sighed and jogged towards the annihilated museum.

Dave continued to stare at the monitors, an unimpressed look on his face as he observed the people gathering. No one he recognized. Hell, he didn't even know why he had the feeling that he might recognize someone. Contrary to popular belief, Total Drama contestants were not the only important people in the world. As a matter of fact, he sometimes wondered why the density of said contestants seemed to be going up in his line of work. To be honest, he just wanted to leave that goddamn show behind him.

Max's ship was cloaked and hovering over the museum. If he'd wanted to, he could have just bombed them all into submission. But he chose not to, because that is not what a supervillain was expected to do. Gloat, be as melodramatic as possible. The usual.

"Max, if you die because of this, I just wanted to say..." Dave began hesitantly. "I hate you. I hate you, I hate my job, I hate the fact that I ever had to work with you. I tried like thirteen times to get out of this but each time I couldn't."

"Whatever," Max sniffed. "It doesn't matter." He pointed a stubby finger down at the steps. "They're starting."

The crowd's noise died down slightly as a middle-aged man took the stage. What immediately struck Evil One about the man's face was that it was...disfigured. Droopy, almost.

"Please, settle down," the man said. Another figure slinked in behind him with a distinctly feminine frame. The figure remained to the shadows, a gun in its hand.

"Alright," the man said. "Let's get started. My name is, or was, Darren Moreau. I used to be a businessman. I wasn't the best person in the world, but I'd be damned if I didn't try my hardest to help people out who needed it. I was in Japan during the start of the crisis." Moreau paced around the stage, a grim fury evident on his features. "I was there when they somehow managed to destroy the nuclear factories from the inside." His voice started to quiver. "I saw _thousands _of people screaming. I saw them die. And I got _this," _He roughly shoved his pointer finger to his disfigured features. "-for my troubles."_  
_

Shouts and yells from the audience. Dave watched with a bored expression. "When are you actually going to attack them?"

"Be quiet, Dave."

Moreau continued. "Imagine when my surprise when I found out that the detonation of all the nuclear plants around the world was a total slip! That it was an "accident" capitalized on by Max Vile! That it was _not _the work of a genius, but a total _idiot!" _He almost snarled, voice getting louder and louder as it did so. "That half the world DIED because a moronHAS NO IDEA WHAT HE'S DOING!"

"Well I'm sick of it. I'm sick of being pushed around, of being treated like dirt." Cheers of assent from the crowd. "I am SICK of seeing death everywhere I go! And I am NOT GOING TO STAND FOR THIS ANY LONGER!"

The crowd burst into loud, unified chaos. The screams and cheers would shatter the eardrums of anyone nearby. Evil One watched in horror as the crowd began to chant, over and over again. _Justice, justice, justice..._

"This is ridiculous," Dave sighed, placing two fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Just start the war already. What are you waiting for?"

"Be quiet, Dave."

Moreau finished his speech and held his arms out, grinning. The feminine figure behind the disfigured man stepped out of the shadows. Dave's stomach dropped as the premonition that he'd recognize someone at the rally came to fruition.

Sky was there.

Dave's eye twitched, and he took a deep breath. "Max," he said, voice low and calm, but with a noticeable quiver. "You might want to kill them all. _Now."_

"You do not tell me what to do! I am your master!"

Dave sighed. No point in digging up the past. The finale of Pahkitew Island was not something he liked to recall. Dave, despite his supposed maturity, still had never really gotten over it. He was not the most stable of individuals, unfitting of his stereotype of the "normal guy."

Evil One held up his watch and spoke into it. "I think now's the time, sir."

"I was just thinking that, Evil One," Max replied with a sinister chuckle. "Let's get this show on the road."

The crowd was whipped into a frenzy. Moreau and Sky were chatting about something on the stage that couldn't be picked up.

Then, Max removed the cloaking device. The effect was instantaneous. People started to scream. A large airship materializing out of the sky with the insignia of Max Vile could do that.

Max appeared on a large screen on the front of the ship in a black suit and cape, makeup and all. Quickly, he laughed maniacally. "You fools! You have fallen right into my trap! All the rebels are here, and now you shall DIE! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"GET ON WITH IT!" Dave yelled at Max, which could vaguely be heard through the screen. Sky's eyes widened as she recognized the voice.

"Ah, yes, my adviser just wants me to kill you. But you know, that's not as much fun. So I want you all to do something for me. KNEEL!"

Moreau snarled and turned to Sky. "Where's the fucking rocket launcher?"

Sky growled. "Not far away enough."

The sound of gunfire pierced the air as machine gun turrets pulled out of the ship. Max personally commandeered them all, using a device to connect his mind with the turrets. The screen in front of him projected the positions of the crowd as 2D animations, dehumanizing his targets as he gunned them down without mercy.

Max centered in on Moreau and Sky, who were trying to direct events so that people could evacuate. Max could not see the pools of blood that stained the ground, nor the bodies from which they came. All he knew was that he had to kill them, and therefore he would. "Time to put this revolution in place! HA HA! Get it? Because...because...a revolution turns? You know? Never mind."

An explosion shook the ship and Max nearly fell out of the chair. "What the hell was that?"

"They're throwing Molotov cocktails at you!" Dave yelled.

Max zeroed in on a group of people throwing cocktails and using his mind pulled the trigger. The sound of gunfire as the people ran for cover. One was hit, falling over and landing with a crash and a scream. Max moved on to the others, systematically exterminating them. On his screen, he noticed that people were getting away but he didn't really care.

"Where did the two on the stage go?" he bellowed.

"They got away while you were busy killing a bunch of thugs!" Dave pointed out.

"WHERE ARE THEY?"

"I HAVE NO IDEA!"

"WELL WHERE DID THEY GO?"

"THAT'S THE SAME EXACT QUESTION YOU MORON!"

Max pressed a button, sending out drones. "Track down the leaders!"

Because Max never bothered to actually say or find out a person's name, his drones were programmed to try to figure out what his orders meant when he was being vague. Considering "the leaders" could mean anything, about three quarters of them left the area to find world leaders and kill them.

The other quarter fired at Max.

"No, no, not me! THEM! THE LEADERS OF THE REVOLUTION!"

Now that he had been more specific, the drones complied.

They came back. If their tails could be between their legs, they would be.

"What, you couldn't find them? Typical."

Max looked down at the grid to see that there was only one person left. Evil One.

"Evil One, you may board the ship."

"Yes sir! This went really well sir!"

"Dave, how are you?"

Dave was looking at the carnage. Dozens of bodies littered the area in a sea of blood, all courtesy of Max. Dave shuddered. "I'm...I'm fine."

"Let's just get the hell out of here."

* * *

This transmission went out the day after Max crushed the rebellion in Brooklyn.

"Ahem. Attention, everyone. This is Max speaking. You know the one. I'd just like to inform you that a total of three hundred people met yesterday in an attempt to form a revolution. They failed. I killed them all PERSONALLY. This is your warning. Resistance...is FUTILE! That is all."

The transmission shut off, and Max sighed. "Okay. Now time to see what mail I have."

He sifted through his letters, throwing each of them into the fire pit as he did so. "Junk mail, junk mail, bills...why did someone send me a condom? Junk, junk, bills..."

He stopped throwing things into the fire when he noticed an ornate letter addressed to him. He opened it.

_You are invited to the 15-year Total Drama reunion! As Chris McLean's whereabouts are currently unknown, I took it upon myself to find the location of all of the remaining Total Drama contestants and invite them all to a party! Food and drinks will be provided. If you are not able to come, that is perfectly fine! As long as we can see each other and make sure all of us are still alive! The party will be held on December 14th, at 7:00 P.M. in Muskoka, Ontario!_

_See you soon!_

_Your friend,_

_Ella_

Max rolled his eyes and set the letter aside, although he didn't burn it. Typical Ella. Wrote an invitation to the dictator of the world. He didn't feel like going. No point, really, when he had the entire world at his fingertips. Max chuckled. There was no way he'd ever get lonely or bored with everything he had. There was no need to talk to any of the former contestants. They were beneath him. He didn't need friends. Just total domination.

He smiled and kicked his legs back, casually sentencing someone to death because they didn't follow the dress code.

All was well.

* * *

**When you put someone like Max in power, the result is both hilarious and horrifying. Hope that came through here.**

**Next chapter will be where the plot truly begins.**

**Also, I hope to adopt a weekly schedule, updating on Sundays, but we'll see how well that turns out.**

**See ya guys later.**


	4. Chapter 4: Loneliness

**Why is it that whenever I attempt to adhere to any form of a schedule, something crazy comes up? Well, it's Finals week for me. So anyway, let's go back to the days where you never expect when an update is going to happen! Yay!**

* * *

"S-Sir, what is it?"

Max sighed, looking from behind his desk at the terrified mail carrier sitting across from him. The poor man was shaking in his boots, eyes shifting back and forth endlessly. Max didn't really understand this. Why would he be afraid of Max? He just wanted to talk was all. Was that too much to ask of an evil overlord? Huh? Was it?

"Sit down, John."

"Did I do something wrong?" the mail carrier asked. "D-did you receive a package you didn't like? Or maybe...maybe was my tie not straight enough? I-if so I can fix it, I promise! Just please don't-"

"What do you think I'm going to do?" Max asked exasperatedly. "You're not in trouble!"

John's mouth fell open. "I...I'm not? You...you're serious...you're not just setting me up for a cruel joke...right?"

Max examined him closely, a little bewildered. "Of course not! Why would you think that?"

"Well, the only times you send someone to your office is when they've done something wrong," the mail carrier explained. "And they're never heard from again."

"I do NOT just send people to my office to kill them!" Max protested, sounding offended. "Why would you think that?"

"Name one person whom you've invited to your office that you didn't have intentions of killing," John replied.

Max opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He thought about it for a minute, trying to come up with something. He failed.

"So why am I here?"

Max ran a hand through his purple hair. "Look...sometimes it just seems as though no one actually, well, wants to talk to me. I mean, yeah, I'm the Supreme Lord of All Evil and all, but sometimes it just seems as though people keep telling me what I want to hear."

John furrowed his eyebrows, not sure where this was going. He decided that it was best to remain quiet and let the asshole talk.

Max continued his soliloquy. "And sometimes I just have this feeling in my stomach that I can't really place. It shows up whenever I'm alone for some reason, and sometimes when it's obvious someone is trying to get on my good side. I can't really put my finger on it though..."

"Sir, I think you might be feeling lonely," John said.

"What?" Max responded flatly.

"Lonely! I think you're lonely! Didn't you hear me the first time?"

Max laughed. And laughed again. And laughed. "You...you think I'm _lonely?" _He giggled and started clutching his chest. "You think I'm LONELY? HA HA! HA HA! HA HA HA HA! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!" Max dissolved into a laughing fit, clutching his sides. John looked down at the midget, unsure of what to do except slowly back away as Max's laughing seemed to dissolve into crying.

"Should I leave, sir?" the carrier asked nervously, absolutely terrified at the lord's seeming insanity.

The weird laugh/cry mixture continued as Max cradled himself on the floor, still giggle-crying, tears clearly flowing down his face. John turned and ran.

"Why is there saltwater on my face?" Max asked to no one in particular as the fit died down. "Why is there saltwater on my face? Hello? John? Ha ha, we playing hide and seek now? Ha ha...hee hee...ha...ha..."

In another second, Max was asleep.

* * *

The next day, John had been fired for seeing the fit, but was not killed. Max had since attempted to talk to three other subordinates, all of whom had been increasingly nervous. Max was irritated at first. Then, as it became clear that they were _terrified _of him and wanted nothing to do with him, he started to get angry. How dare they be afraid of him? All he wanted to do was talk! Was that really so hard?

Max sat on the ground in his personal playroom, holding an airplane in his hands and making sound effects. "Bzzzz, shwoooosh! Oh nooo we're all gonna diiiie! Ah! Ah!" He knocked over a wide assortment of "civilians" which ranged from army soldiers to Barbie dolls. With a BOOOOM he blew up the Capitol Hall.

"AH HA HA! AH HA HA! THAT IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU MESS WITH ME! AH HA HA! HA HA HA HA..." Max stopped in the middle of his laughing fit, looking down at the toy destruction beneath him. He sighed, and stood up.

The feeling was back. Not...not that it was _loneliness._ That was absolutely preposterous.

Max walked through the halls, entering the elevator. With a sigh, he pressed a sequence of numbers. One, three, one, three. A second panel pushed out of the wall and Max examined the floors that lay beneath the tower.

"Never thought it would come to this..." he muttered as he pressed the button labeled "P" for prison.

The elevator shot down, and Max gripped the sides as the elevator skyrocketed downwards. A large "WHEEEEEEE!" escaped his mouth as it almost moved fast enough to lift him up from the floor. Steadily, the elevator slowed down as it reached the bottom, and through the window he saw blue skies change to concrete and cavern.

Finally, the door opened and Max walked out into a shining bright hallway. Each cell was made of steel and protected by Plexiglas. Max walked past and observed cell after cell of criminals from the city. What he didn't notice was that many of them weren't criminals at all, and a lot of them were petty thieves. Max continued walking, ignoring their pleas.

He finally found a large titanium door that was at least three times larger than the rest. He hesitantly punched in the combination. The titanium door slid aside to reveal...another tightly-sealed door, slightly smaller than the last one. Max entered the same combination, and the second door slid aside to reveal...

...

...

...a third door. Max cracked his knuckles and entered the third one. He took a deep breath and calmed himself as the final door slowly slid open.

Trapped inside a Plexiglas cage, pacing around, was Scarlett.

Scarlett didn't look too well. She appeared to have lost a great deal of weight, and her hair was undone, constantly getting in her eyes. Her jumpsuit was torn and a shock collar was placed around her neck. Her eye was constantly twitching. Max walked in and despite the thick layer of glass between him and his former sidekick, he was still terrified out of his wits.

Scarlett turned to face him and her jaw seemed to tense. She sighed. "Well well well..." The psycho walked closer towards the barrier, narrowing her eyes. "Look who finally decided to drop by for a visit."

"Don't think this is anything personal," Max sneered. "I just wanted to drop in on you."

Scarlett turned around, hiding something in her hands. Max couldn't tell what it was. He could however see that she had used something to scratch things onto the glass...he couldn't tell what, though, and he didn't honestly care.

"How goes the world conquering?" she asked, with a note of amusement in her voice.

"We wiped out a rebellion last week," Max said proudly. "I killed many of them myself."

"Did you do it face to face?" Scarlett asked calmly, drawing her fingernail upon one of the scratches in the glass.

"No," Max said hesitantly. "No I did not."

Scarlett turned to face him again for a moment. Then she shrugged. "Probably what I would have done. Have you tried taking a census?"

"A what?"

Scarlett's eye twitched as she looked over the lavishly-dressed gnome, with all his expenses and finery, still had no idea what a census was. "A population count. You count the total number of people you have so you know how best to distribute resources. It's not rocket science, although I could take time to explain that to you too considering that rocket you tried to launch a few weeks ago."

Max held out a pen and wrote down _"Census." _"Thank you for that idea, Scarlett! I truly appreciate it!"

"I live to please," the brainiac deadpanned. "Is there any particular reason that you're here?"

Max scratched the back of his neck. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why I'm here. But that doesn't matter! What else can I do to improve my rule?"

"You could ration out food on a regular basis so that the people don't hate you," Scarlett said.

"I've never heard of a villain doing that before! That's preposterous!"

"It's _pragmatic," _Scarlett hissed. "But sure, don't take my advice. That'll get you places."

"Ooh, ooh, how about for nights off! Could you tell me what to do for nights off? I don't honestly know what to do and sometimes I feel a little llllll...uh, lax. Lax. That is what I was going to say."

Scarlett sighed and combed a hand through her hair. "Look...if you want help...you should have help. But coming to me, of all people? Are you really that desperate? Or are you lonely?"

"I AM NOT LONELY!"

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Well, you're here, so that must say something about your current situation. Bored, then?"

"Shut up!"

The redhead sat down in her cell, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Well...I suppose that if you're so eager for help...I could become your adviser."

"My what?" Max asked, recoiling.

"An adviser! Someone who can help you make important decisions! And not fuck up the entire world in the process!"

Max furrowed his eyebrows, considering. An adviser...would people like him more if he had an adviser to help him out? Would he be better off that way? He pondered, deep in thought. Should he? Maybe...maybe it was for the best.

A scowl set across his features and he pressed a button on his watch, activating the shock collar. "You kidding me?" he shouted as Scarlett convulsed on the floor, screaming. "You think I'm THAT DUMB? I know what you're going to do! You're going to be my 'adviser' for a while, and then when my back is turned you'll KILL ME AND TAKE OVER THE WORLD! WELL I'M ON TO YOU! I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, AND IT'S NOT WORKING! YOU HEAR ME?"

Scarlett screamed as Max continued pressing the finger on the button, before finally he let go. Smoke rose from Scarlett's coughing body. Sobbing could be heard.

Max backed away, trying to remain calm. He straightened his clothes and without a look back, left as three sets of doors closed behind him.

* * *

Max sat back down in his lofty throne, swiveling in it for a while. He sighed, blowing a raspberry for no apparent reason.

"Bored...bored...lone-I mean, lazy..." Freckles walked up to him and Max stopped swiveling. He motioned for the pug to hop up, and the dumb animal did so.

He started scratching the contented animal behind the ears. "What must it be like to live your life?" Max sighed melodramatically. "With nary a care in the world...just what your next meal is going to be, where you're going to poop, and when you're gonna be pet. I wish my life was as simple as that," he said while organizing a fancy dinner, a new toilet, and a massage.

He set the dog down and out of the corner of his eye caught a glimpse of the letter he had seen a week before. Cautiously, he picked it up and examined it once again.

_You are invited to the 15-year Total Drama reunion! As Chris McLean's whereabouts are currently unknown, I took it upon myself to find the location of all of the remaining Total Drama contestants and invite them all to a party! Food and drinks will be provided. If you are not able to come, that is perfectly fine! As long as we can see each other and make sure all of us are still alive! The party will be held on December 14th, at 7:00 P.M. in Muskoka, Ontario!_

_See you soon!_

_Your friend,_

_Ella_

"Ah yes," Max said with a smile. "That thing! When...is that again?" He checked his watch casually before his eyes widened. "Oh my Zod, that's today! And that's tonight!"

He zipped up and quickly put a coat on, calling a number on his phone. "Yes, I need transportation to Muskoka immediately! It is VERY important!"

He didn't even know why he was excited about this, but he didn't really care. He quickly put on some inconspicuous clothing.

He stopped. He was going to a party filled with people who hated his guts. Hmn...he would need a disguise. A cunning deception truly worthy of his evil.

Max knew just the item.

Quickly, he grabbed a pair of Groucho glasses and put them on as he walked out onto the roof as the helicopter landed. He laughed to himself, which could not be heard over the helicopter. Quickly, he pulled out his mirror and examined his disguise. He nodded with a grin.

It was the perfect disguise.

Perfect.


	5. Chapter 5: Party

"You know, once upon a time I would have questioned why you're doing this. Now, I know better than to ask."

Max rolled his eyes at Dave, who had come along pretty much to chaperon the boy-man. The two walked down the dark street, Max's GPS leading them to the location of the party. He still wore the Groucho glasses and seemed to think that it somehow made him look completely different. Dave had sighed but resigned himself to the fact that the dear leader was probably going to be dead by the end of the night, which is why another agent had been sent to monitor things.

"Good. Dave, if anyone sees through my foolproof disguise, not that they will, of course, please protect me," Max said.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Dave said, rolling his eyes and applying hand sanitizer as they passed a hobo. "Ugh...poverty."

"I know what you mean," Max said sympathetically, trying to pat the taller man on the shoulder, only for Dave to recoil. "It is disgusting."

Dave wisely remained quiet at this.

"You do have multiple agents here, correct?" Max asked.

"Yup," Dave sighed. "Because this is a Total Drama reunion one of them is also a former TD contestant. Which I really don't get. We also have a couple of others outside the event just in case things get out of hand."

"You don't sound happy," Max noted.

"Just...why are there so many TD contestants in my life? Wherever I go, they're there! I work with a couple, you, obviously, and...Sky was part of the resistance. And now we're heading to a reunion? What, is this show the basis of reality? WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?"

Max rolled his eyes. "I think you need to take a leaf out of my book and take a chill pill. They are the most evil kind of pill."

"I don't get it."

"Of course you don't," Max smirked. "Which is why it falls to me to explain things to you, sidekick."

"Sidekick?" Dave asked. "Really? Remember what happened with your last sidekick?"

"What? I don't know what you're talking about," Max said, looking genuinely confused.

"I am not your sidekick. I'm not your adviser. I'm just a representative who helps you out when necessary. I hate your guts."

"Do not talk to your evil overlord that way," Max sniffed as they neared the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to be getting into character."

"As who?" Dave asked. "Everyone's taller than you!"

"I will be pretending to be Cameron. He didn't grow either."

Dave just looked at him in disgust. "What? Cameron? But he's a twig, and you're not!"

Max turned to look at him, already in character as Cameron. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. I am Cameron. I like big words. I have an annoying voice. And I'm sorry if I like McDonald's so much. I had to eat away my sorrows after I died a boring and stupid person. Way to be insensitive to fat people. Now get back on Tech Support where you belong, Indian!"

"But..." Dave sputtered, looking completely and utterly dumbfounded and repulsed. "You...just..._what? _What kind of...HUH? YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE DARK SKIN!"

"Racist," Max sniffed, cracking his fingers and getting ready to open the door to the party.

"But...Cameron...just...never mind," Dave growled, curling his fingers and resigning himself to his eternal fate of having to deal with Max.

Max opened the door and adjusted his Groucho glasses. The two walked inside.

Heavy metal was playing. Guitars crunched as the singer wailed. Strobe lights flickered through the club and Dave winced. "Ugh, this is disgusting."

"Why did Ella choose this music?" Max asked.

"I doubt she did. Keep out of sight. You'll be recognized instantly if you start ordering people around."

"Yo!" Beardo grinned, waving to Dave from behind a turntable. It appeared as though he and Duncan had taken the position of DJ. Ella was nowhere to be found.

"Hey Beardo," Dave rolled his eyes, looking around. "Look, I'm kind of here on business. Who all is here? Where's Ella?"

"You mean the _actual_ princess," Duncan rolled his eyes. "Ella got here late. Beardo and I had already taken over the music choices, so she just decided to go next door so that she didn't have to hear everything that was going on."

Dave nodded. "Thanks." He turned to Max, who remained hovering by the door. No one had noticed him. Yet at least.

Dave glanced around the room to see who all was there, and the threat level against Max. Jasmine was sitting at the bar, alone. Dave narrowed his eyes. Shawn had been one of the few people he'd made up with after Pahkitew Island. Despite the fact that he'd taken the risk of killing many of his former acquaintances by helping fund Max, Dave had hoped Shawn would still be alive.

"Hey," Dave said, sitting down next to Jasmine. "What's up?"

"Hey, Dave," the Australian said. "It's been a while. I'm sorry we had to meet like this. Fucking Max...can't actually believe he managed to take over the world."

"It's...pretty crazy," Dave said, a slight hint of guilt entering his voice as he saw Max enter the women's restroom by accident before walking into the men's. "I don't see Shawn...is he...?"

Jasmine's eyes widened. "Oh! No! He's still alive! We're still together, surprisingly. That zombie shelter he made using part of the million has actually really come in handy! He just didn't want to come."

Dave nodded. If it had been anyone else, he'd likely have wheedled the information out of her and sent a team to kill Shawn. But because it was one of his only friends left and his girlfriend...Dave smiled. "That's good to know. Thanks."

"No problem," Jasmine replied cheerfully as Dave got up to examine the room around him.

Max exited the restroom, adjusting his Groucho glasses carefully. Someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"Uh, who are you exactly?" Tyler asked, scratching his head. "You look kind of familiar..."

"My name is Cameron," Max said in his best nasally voice. "I don't believe we've met."

"Wow. You got fat. And pale."

"HOW DARE YOU!" Max snarled, only to receive a warning glare from Dave. "I...I mean...I just like my McNuggets, that's all. No harm there."

Tyler looked confused. "Okaaaay..." He walked off.

Dave walked over to the other agent, who was sitting at a table reading a book.

"Noah," Dave said, sitting down across from him. "Is the perimeter secure?"

"Yeah, yeah," Noah droned, rolling his eyes. "Matheson and Weller are in position in case things go sour. You know, I really hate this job."

"I hate it too," Dave sighed.

"No, seriously. I hate every single one of you. Do you think Owen's death makes me _want _to work with the group who ultimately caused it?"

"Why do you stay?" Dave asked suspiciously.

"Because I need a paycheck," Noah said. "And because they need my talents. And because I don't honestly care about anything anymore."

"Well, we should get this over with before anyone asks if we're cousins again," Dave sighed.

Noah groaned at this. "Don't remind me. Do you have any idea how many people asked me after Pahkitew Island air whether I was your cousin? Like I'd _want _to be related to you whiny, wangsty piece of shit. It's just like they think that-" He adopted his high-pitched mockery voice. _"-oh, two Indian guys got put on the same show! They must be related! Oh, there's NO way that they could just be two Indian guys with no relation to each other!"_

"I am NOT a whiny, wangsty piece of shit!" Dave protested, before scratching his head. "...what does wangsty mean again?"

"This is why I hate you."

Dave growled. "Whatever. The boss won't be happy if we keep fighting. Who all is here?"

Noah sighed. "Out of fifty-something contestants, only about twenty showed up. No one we can't handle."

Dave observed the rest of the diner. Lindsay and Tyler still seemed to be together and happy, despite the horrid situation in the world. Duncan and Beardo appeared to be having a blast. Jasmine was now talking and laughing with Samey. Scott was surprisingly conversing with Zoey despite their differences. Geoff sat alone at the bar, a drink in his hand. Dave narrowed his eyes at this. As far as he knew, Geoff and Bridgette were one of the few couples to have actually gotten married and had their marriage hold.

Max finally exited the restroom. Yawning, he took a seat near the exit. He turned to see that Heather was sitting next to him, a look of amusement on her face.

"Hey Max," she said with a sardonic note of victory. "How are you doing?"

"I don't think we've met," Max said in his Cameron imitation. "You must be...mistaken. I am not Max, although I wish I was. I always admired his chiseled features-"

"Oh, don't worry," Heather scoffed. "I'm not going to tell anyone. It'll be our little secret."

Max sighed. "Fine, woman. What are you doing here? Where is your bastard of a boyfriend?"

"Just like you to assume that relationships formed on a reality TV show last forever," Heather sneered. "He betrayed me. I'm done with him."

"Why did you come here then?" Max asked.

"Because I wanted to see who was dead," the former queen bee admitted. "I thought it would be better knowing which of my former enemies died still thinking I was a bitch."

"You _are_ a bitch."

"Well, yes, but that's not _all _I am," Heather replied.

Max gasped. "It's not?"

"Don't be sarcastic," Heather growled.

Max looked confused. "I wasn't being sarcastic."

Heather sighed. "Well, anyway-" Her eyes widened as she looked towards the door. "Oh shit! He's here!" Heather sprinted out of her chair and out the back door before Max even knew what was going on. He turned his head to see Alejandro strut through the door in an expensive tuxedo and a charming grin on his face.

"Good day!" Alejandro smiled, capturing the party's attention. "I would just like you to know that despite our past differences, if you need anything, _anything _at all, I'm there. That's all." He swaggered over to the bar and ordered a drink, and the contestants went back to normal.

Max got up and walked over to the bar. He felt a glare boring into him and he turned to see Zoey staring at him.

"Excuse me," Zoey asked, narrowing her eyes at the tubby figure, having a sneaking suspicion as to who he was due to the fact that his image was plastered over every single building in the city. "Who exactly are you?"

"Why, I'm Cameron you silly goose!" Max said in his best imitation. When he saw that no one was impressed, and that the entire party's attention was on him, he gulped. "You know? Your old buddy? Me?"

Duncan stopped the music as Zoey stared at him. Beardo made a tumbleweed sound effect.

"Cameron was murdered in front of me," Zoey said calmly, looking down at him. "And I only know one contestant stupid enough to pretend he's him." Max scrambled backwards, fear evident on his face.

Zoey removed the glasses and crushed them in her fist. The entire party stared as Max stood there, his disguise ruined.

"Well," Alejandro said cheerfully. "This is interesting." The snake slithered up to Max, placing a hand on his shoulder. Dave and Noah glared at Alejandro, and as a result the Spaniard gave them a mocking salute. "Max...maybe there's something you should know about the people here."

"Oh?" Max sneered. "Is it the fact that they can't touch me? They'll get a bullet in the head if they don't-"

"It's that you've _hurt _them," Alejandro replied gleefully. "You have tortured and killed their loved ones, and coming here was the worst idea you have ever had in your life." He patted Max on the head one would do to a dog whom had just ate everything out of the trash can.

He walked away cheerfully, motioning to Geoff at the table. "He's all yours, Geoff!"

The normally docile party boy stood up menacingly, bringing himself up to his full height as he advanced on Max. "Do you know why I'm here alone?" Geoff growled, as Max cowered for his life.

"M-Maybe...maybe she's not here right now?" Max cowered.

"We made it through the takeover," Geoff snarled, backing Max up against a wall as the rest of the party watched with a cautious eagerness. "We were still together. We stayed here and we were happy. We thought we could make it."

Geoff slammed Max into the wall, a look of pure rage lighting up his features. "We made it to New York. We'd heard that it was fine. And _then what happened?"_

Max sputtered as Geoff pressed his chubby neck against the wall. _"The ETOD? Your fortress? Do you remember what happened the first time you tried to set it up?"_

"Should we help him?" Dave whispered to Noah.

Noah shook his head, smirking. "No, I'm rather enjoying this."

_"IT TOPPLED!" _the party boy shouted hoarsely, his spit getting on Max's face. "IT TOPPLED, AND KILLED HER!" Max whimpered as Geoff drew back his fist and punched him in the face.

Max cried out, nursing his owie. Zoey moved in next to Geoff. "Let me have a turn. Please."

"Gladly," Geoff spit.

"Now?" Dave asked.

Noah sighed. "If we must."

Dave spoke into his watch. "Matheson. Warning shot."

Geoff and Zoey closed in on Max, ready to repay all the damage that he had caused.

A sniper shot entered the window and screams echoed throughout the establishment. Max stood up and attempted to regain control of the crowd.

"THAT was a warning shot!" Max grinned, trying to look confident and intimidating. He only came off as feeble. "Next time one of you tries to harm me, you shall feel my EVIL WRATH!"

Geoff bared his teeth at Max but everyone remained back.

The door opened, and Ella walked through, a look of horror on her face. "Oh no...oh no oh no! What happened here?"

"You invited MAX?" Geoff thundered.

Ella looked confused. "Of course! I said that I would invite every Total Drama contestant! Max was a Total Drama contestant!"

"He killed a lot of our families," Zoey protested. "If we can't kill him NOW, I want him OUT!"

Ella shrunk a little bit. "Well...I don't like having to remove guests...it seems mean."

"Do it," Geoff barked.

Ella sighed. "Fine." She turned to Max. "I'm really sorry about this, Mr. Gnome! But you're going to have to leave."

Max grit his teeth. "Fine! I didn't want to be here anyway! GOOD RIDDANCE!"

He turned to leave, but quickly Geoff picked him up by the scruff of the neck, opened the door, and threw him out.

Strangely, the snipers didn't fire.

Max slammed into the ground outside, blood pouring from his mouth. Cursing, he rose to his feet. Cold raindrops fell on his head, and thunder crackled. Max sniffed. Strange. He didn't have allergies. Why was he sniffling? And why was there water forming near his eyes? It must be the rain. It must have somehow entered his head and was just...leaking out of his eyes. Yeah.

"You get kicked out too?" another voice asked.

Max looked down to the street to see a smiling redhead sitting on the ground, covered in mud.

"Hmph," Max said, turning his chin up and folding his arms. "My evilness was not appreciated."

"You're in charge of the world," Izzy said. "Couldn't you just blow them up? I know I would, but they got rid of my dynamite."

"Your reputation aside," Max sniffed, turning so that he stood facing the redhead. "Why would you want to kill them?"

"Naw, I wouldn't want to kill them, stupid! Just scare them a little! Plus, I don't really care about most of them. Eva...she's gone now, and I haven't talked with Noah or Owen in a long time," Izzy sighed. "I kinda tried applying for a job with you, but they shot me down."

Max chose to ignore the fact that he knew Owen was dead. He looked bewilderingly at Izzy. "You are the first person I've met who expressed any desire to be affiliated with my EVILNESS!"

Izzy cackled at this.

Max scowled. "What? What's so funny?"

"You are! You think you're..." She got up and started waving her hands in his face. "SOOOOOOOOOOO EEEEEEEVIIIIIL! It's kinda hilarious! Or it would be if you weren't killing people left and right!"

"Not you too!" Max growled. "All week I've been chastised for being-" he made air quotes. "'immature.' Can you believe that?"

Izzy shrugged. "Well, yeah."

Max sighed. "Then...what do I do to stop it?"

"Stop what?"

"This..." Max started shaking his finger. "This BLATANT disrespect for me!"

Izzy hopped to her feet. "Welllllllllll..."

"What?"

"Do ya think I show respect to you?" she asked.

"Somewhat," Max snapped.

"I kinda know how to get people to fear ya!" Izzy laughed. "And a little bit about economics, well, Brainzilla does, so I think I could help you out a bit!"

"Everyone seems to be vying for a chance to kiss my backside," Max sniffed, turning his nose up in the air. "How do I know you won't betray me?"

Izzy sighed. "Because it's either joining you and trying to make things better...or fighting against you and dying." She perked up. "I'd prefer not dying! Now, first things first, have you ever considered duct tape as the solution to any and all problems?"

"Yes, actually," Max said, bewildered, as Izzy hopped up and started skipping.

"Good! Now COME ON, LET'S GET A MOVE ON!" She grinned maniacally. "Now let's blow this joint. You have any dynamite?"

"No!" Max protested, backing up. "If you wish to come with me, go ahead. You could still prove useful to me yet!"

"Aw. That's no fun. But okay! Consider me hired!"

Max shook his head as he continued to attempt to prevent the maniac from blowing up most of her former friends.

Into his watch, he pressed a button.

"Order 4,532," he whispered into it. "This is Class A important. I have hired another former Total Drama contestant. Unoriginal, I know. Hopefully, she shall help me further my evil schemes." He paused. "But...if she discovers that Owen is dead and proves a threat..." He observed her waving to the sniper.

"Kill her."

And with that, he walked after his new protege, a wide smirk on his face.


	6. Chapter 6: Straw

In the month that Scarlett had been imprisoned, there had been a total of three security guards in charge of watching her. The first had been a stern, no-nonsense, stickler character that somehow managed to overlook important details like Scarlett slipping a needle into her cell. She'd stabbed him under the belt with the needle in an attempt to escape, which ultimately failed. He'd been deposed after that.

The second guard had been sympathetic towards her and Scarlett had hoped to manipulate him into setting her free. However, he had ultimately been reassigned due to Max's paranoia. Both guards had lasted less than a week, and Scarlett had assumed that this trend would continue. So she counted on having a new guard about every week that she could try new things on.

The third guard had lasted nearly a month now.

Eric Morris was the epitome of every negative stereotype of a security guard ever, which was exactly why Max had selected him for the job. Morris was fairly ugly, although not overweight, had a mean glint in his eye at all times, and a tendency to torture and beat any prisoner whenever he felt like it.

Scarlett sat on the floor of her cell, massaging a bruise on her face. She twirled her broken glasses in her hands and subconsciously placed her thumb and pointer finger around her ribcage. Her face appeared gaunt and pale, her hair was sweaty and abysmal-looking, and the weight lost from a month of beatings and subpar food took its toll on her. She had given up trying to stand a day ago, instead trying and failing to conserve her energy. If Morris's strategy was to starve her until she was incapable of fighting back, it appeared to be working.

Silently, she cursed Max once again. She'd warned him, years ago. She'd warned him about meddling with things out of his control. But he hadn't listened, and once he had the funds for his ambitions, there would be nothing stopping him from utterly destroying the world with nary a care. Scarlett doubted that Max had ever killed anyone face to face. Killing from a distance allowed him to dehumanize his targets. The foolish boy that Scarlett had known on Pahkitew Island would not sleep quite as well at night if he knew how many babies he had inadvertently killed.

"Oy! Bitch!"

The door slid open and the man himself swaggered in, a grin on his face and a tray of the usual insubstantial prison food in his hands.

"Eric," Scarlett said weakly, not bothering to get up as the guard towered above her before setting the tray of sludge down at her.

"Didn't realize we were on a first name basis," Morris drawled, rising back up to his feet.

"What's the latest news?" Scarlett asked casually. "Your...generous accomodations sadly do not provide means for me to remain up to date on current events."

"None of your business," Morris sneered. "Never will be, either. Ya see," he said, leaning down and looking the psychopath in the eyes. "I'm not sure if you understand just yet, but…" Snarling, he decked her across the face, sending her to the ground. "You're not leaving here! Ya got that?"

"Your attempts to deter my perceived optimism for my surroundings are pitiable," Scarlett sniffed, pusing herself back up into a sitting position. She looked down at the sludge on her plate. "Although, generally, it is my belief that the worse a prisoner is treated, the more incentive they will have to take revenge."

Morris snorted, before turning to the device on his belt and turning a dial. The shock collar activated, electrifying Scarlett. She screamed in pain, before he dialed it back down. "Yeah, you're real scary. Ya THINK you're scary is what ya think! But you see this, right here?" He shoved the dial in her face, showing the amount of voltage he could pump through her body. "You can't bargain nothing when I can kill you witih a twist of my thumb."

Scarlett coughed weakly. "Is it...too much to ask...for more sustenence?"

"Look," Morris shrugged. "If you want better shit, then you know what the price is." The guard moved in suggestively, a grin stretching his features. "C'mon, I ain't that bad!"

Scarlett spit in his face. "If you think I would _ever _sleep with you, then you've just cemented my decision to kill you when I get out of here_."_

Morris's smile slowly vanished. "Aight then," he shrugged. "Your loss." Without even looking, he cranked up the voltage on the shock collar. Scarlett screamed again. Morris held the device for ten seconds before finally dialing it back down.

The door opened.

Max Vile walked through, hands tucked behind his back. "Ah, Morris," Max smirked as three sets of doors closed behind him. "I would like to talk with Scarlett for a moment. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, sir," Morris replied smugly, walking away from Scarlett's coughing body. "I'll leave you two alone to...do whatever."

Max pressed a button on his watch and a chair folded out of the ground inside the cell. The cell door closed and Scarlett slowly staggered to her knees, glaring at Max. Max cringed as he saw her. She'd lost at least another fifteen pounds since he'd last visited her, and her usually pale face was dotted with large blue marks.

"Scarlett...you don't look well," Max cringed. Quickly, he lost all sign of weakness and dismissed her with a sniff. "Oh well, not my problem. Good day to you."

Scarlett sat up. "Do you know that I have had so little food or water that it takes effort just to stand up?" she asked quietly.

Max folded his arms. "Well, you should have eaten the food you were given. No one likes a picky eater."

Scarlett barked out a laugh at this. "Do you think I _didn't? _The portions are so small, and the food itself is so unhealthy, I wouldn't be surprised if it was defecation from your rear end."

"What?" Max asked in confusion.

"I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF IT WERE YOUR SHIT!" Scarlett thundered, and instinctively Max put his hand to his watch, ready to activate her shock collar if necessary.

"...oh," Max replied. He sniffed. "You might be wondering why I came here."

"Actually, I'm more wondering how you plan to leave this room alive," Scarlett deadpanned.

Max continued as if he had not heard her. "It's that I thought about what you said. About an adviser."

Scarlett nodded, not sure where this was going. "And..."

Max grinned. "I got myself an adviser!"

Scarlett golf-clapped, putting an obviously fake-cheery smile onto her face. "Yay! Max got his first adviser! I'm so proud!"

Max gestured to his watch, and Scarlett stopped.

"Very well," she said, trying her best to sound unconcerned, but the pain found its way to her voice. "Who?"

"Izzy from Total Drama!" Max grinned.

Scarlett was silent for a few moments. "...what?"

"She volunteered, we hired her. Simplicity!" Max extended his hands upward in triumph.

"You...hired...Izzy..." Scarlett seemed to be trying to comprehend what she'd just been told. "...as your adviser. Izzy."

Max nodded excitably. "Yes! She has been very helpful so far! I asked what we could do about changing it up around here and she suggested putting Kool-Aid in the water fountains! She's a genius!"

Scarlett stared at him for a few seconds. Then a laugh escaped her. Then another. Then another, and Scarlett was on the floor, cackling against her own will. She placed her hand on her forehead, laughing mirthlessly. Max sat in his chair uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. Finally, Scarlett's laughter died down and she looked him in the eyes, an unhinged gleam in hers.

"I don't believe it," she said calmly.

"What?" Max asked, looking confused.

"You're trying..." Scarlett nearly burst into laughter again. "to make me jealous! You, the great, powerful Max...are trying to make _me _jealous. You hired another former Total Drama contestant with an Asp294His allele, and-"

"What?"

"RED HAIR!" Scarlett screamed at him, causing him to shrink even further into his chair despite the fact that he was technically the one in control. "Anyway, as I was saying, former redhead Total Drama contestant with a knack for intelligence and insanity...are you sure this was intentional?" She smiled sweetly at Max. "Do you honestly think I care whether or not you have someone blindly following you around who isn't me?"

"Well-" Max began.

"I. Don't. Care," Scarlett snarled, moving to him. "Look at me. LOOK! AT! ME!" Max cowered even further. "DO I _LOOK _LIKE WHO YOUR SIDEKICK IS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON MY MIND RIGHT NOW?"

Max got up, shaking. "Well, thank you for your time, Scarlett, but I will be leaving now. A lot of evil to do, and not unlimited time to do it."

"Oh, you're leaving?" Scarlett laughed, a twinkle of insanity in her eyes. "I pity you even more now."

The door slid open and Max prepared to walk through. As he left, he heard Scarlett's voice.

"You delude yourself even further. You have learnt nothing, and I look forward to watching you burn."

Max paused for a moment, back turned to Scarlett. He continued moving.

The door slammed shut, leaving his only sort of anchor on reality behind him.

* * *

The meeting room was filled with about ten people total, all either high-up in Max's organization or one of their allies. Several governors sat next to one another, while Dave was rubbing his hands together, and looked distressed that he'd forgotten his hand sanitizer. The fact that he was sitting next to Matheson, a burly, sweaty man didn't help matters.

Vincent Matheson was an odd case in that he appeared to the average person to just be a hired thug, with a mouthful of teeth that had never seen braces in his childhood, a shaved head, and tattoos strung across his muscled body. Despite this, he was actually an expert in espionage and worked for Dave and Noah's employer as opposed to Max. Most of the more competent soldiers didn't work for Max. Giving Max that kind of men all to himself was far too dangerous.

Max sat at the head of the table, Evil One to his right side and Izzy to his left. Evil One looked around nervously, realizing that he'd forgotten an entire stack of papers that he still had to stamp with Max's illegible, childish signature. Izzy appeared to be gnawing on a straw, mangling it to bits, seemingly out of boredom. One of the foreign ministers scooted away from her, only to have Dave on the other side about having a panic attack without his breath mints.

Finally, the meeting began.

"Good day, ladies and gentlemen," Max said in his nasally voice. "Thank you for coming. We will now be discussing the matter of the resistance, and how to deal with it. Evil One, if you would."

Evil One cleared his throat and pressed a button. A hologram of a drooped, disfigured face appeared above the table, turning so that each of them could see it.

"This is the leader of the resistance," Evil One said. "Darren Moreau. A former Japanese businessman who lost much of his empire after the takeover. He's been traveling around trying to stir uprisings and recruit people to his insurrection. In-including..."

Dave narrowed his eyes and stared at Evil One, who gulped.

"Including...including my former partner, Evil Two."

He changed the hologram, but instead of Evil Two's face popping up, what appeared to be Twilight began playing. Evil One's eyes widened and quickly he changed it to Evil Two's face. "That was nothing," he denied. "Nothing, you saw...nothing...nothing...yeah."

Izzy threw her mangled straw at him, hitting him in the face. He picked it up with his fingertips, grimacing as he felt her drool before throwing it away. Quickly, he wiped his hands off on his sleeves, and Dave felt a pang of sympathy for Evil One at that moment.

"If you have not met her yet," Max said smoothly, "this is my new adviser, Izzy. She will be helping us by...whatever means necessary. Would you like to introduce...yourself...Izzy..." Izzy was gone. "Where did she go?"

"Hi!" Izzy was clinging onto the ceiling, and the entire table yelped in surprise. "Sorry, just got bored!" She flipped back into her seat. "Anyway, sup?"

"We were just introducing you," Max said, seemingly irritated. "But no matter."

Matheson cleared his throat. "If I could, sir, suggest something," he said in his gruff voice. "Moreau has been traveling with a former Olympic gymnast and marksman as his bodyguard and lieutenant. She could be a problem, but if we were to take her out quickly..." He grinned, showing his bent teeth.

Dave appeared to suddenly be very interested in a ceiling tile.

Max nodded. "Excellent suggestion, Matheson! Izzy, your thoughts?"

"Do we have to kill them?" Izzy asked. "I mean, couldn't we compromise? I think that they'd be happy just with a little bit more food or drink their way."

"WHAT, ARE YOU KIDDING?" Max shouted. "That's PREPOSTEROUS! If they don't have food, well, I guess they made a REALLY bad decision being poor, then!"

Dave bonked his head against the table.

Evil One rose his hand. "Sir, just so you know, our contract with Signal Industries is almost expired. They'll be wanting more payment if we're to use their weapons."

"I can take care of those boring financial matters," Max sniffed, huffing himself up to look more important. "Who's the CEO again?"

Dave spoke into the table. Everyone turned to look at him. He poked his head up. "Alejandro Burromuerto. Yaaaay, another TD contestant." His head went back down onto the table, and his contributions were no more.

Max furrowed his eyebrows. "Alejandro was at the party I went to. He was wearing a nice tux. I guess it makes sense."

Matheson cleared his throat. "You've had this contract with Signal Industries for as long as you've been a conqueror and you never knew who the CEO was?"

"The details aren't important," Max sniffed. "I was funded by Dave here, or whoever the hell he works for. His group provided the funds for the contract with Signal. Voila, weapons. It will be fine."

"So what's the plan?" Izzy chirped. "I'm getting kinda bored here. But...could we not kill them? They kind of have a point."

"Quiet, fool," Max said. "We will find another of their fortresses and BRING IT TO THE GROUND! All in agreement?"

All the people at the table were aware of the machine gun turrets on the ceiling, so quickly every hand was raised in agreement, mutters of assent dotting the air.

Max smiled. "Good. Dismissed."

Dave sighed in relief and got away from the table as fast as he could. Matheson exited quietly while Evil One breathed an audible sigh of relief as he left the room. Izzy tried to get up but Max grabbed onto her arm, motioning for her to remain seated.

"I want to talk with you," he said quietly.

After everyone had left the room, Izzy and Max sat in silence. Max cleared his throat. "Why are you sympathizing with the enemy?"

Izzy shrugged. "Well, 'cause you have to look at all possible viewpoints in order to get shit done." She got up and picked her straw out of the trash can. "Like, this straw, for example! Let's say one end of the straw is you, and the other is Moreau." She squinted as she tried to look through the bent-up straw. "Once upon a time, you guys could totally have the same flow, ya know? But now..." She mangled it up, grinning. "It's like ZSIEGUH9430A7WGZH9TUIO!" She presented the mangled straw. "

"You can't drink anything out of this! But..." she smoothed the straw back out. "If you manage to straighten things out...you can still drink some delicious egg nog without having to get a new straw!" She grinned, proud of her analogy.

Max scratched his head. "I...have no idea what you just said."

Izzy frowned slightly. "Eh. If I'm gonna advise you, you're gonna have to listen to people with different views than your own."

Max sighed. "Sadly." He got up. "Regardless, thank you. I shall consider your...thing. Analogy. Whichever." He walked out of the room, Izzy behind him. "After this, perhaps we can figure out what makes the other tick."

Izzy smiled. "Of course! See ya, munchkin!" She ran off down the hallway. Slowly, Max went back into the room, eyebrows deep in thought.

He picked up the straw. "So...the straw represents society...and one end is me, and the other me, NO, wait, Moreau, right." He mangled it up. "And if this happens, then stuff is bad, and I should really throw this away, and...um...what was the part about straightening it out again?"

For the next thirty minutes, Max remained in the room, talking and shouting to himself, trying to work out the analogy that Izzy had given him. Much mangling of the poor straw later, he finally understood what she had said and why she had said it.

It had taken thirty minutes, but he actually realized that Izzy had a point.

He didn't agree with the point, but he admitted that she had a point.

And there was always a first step for everything.


	7. Chapter 7: Assault

**My apologies for the lack of updates, school has really gotten in the way there. Hopefully the next chapter won't take near as much time to get out.**

**Also, if you'll follow the link below, the ever-awesome Ponythekidrs has created a bit of promo art for this fic! It's awesome, you should check it out!**

**deviantart art/TINAFAITIWB-510645605**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Evil One had a very set, strict guideline to his day. First things first, he would drop by the local coffee shop and order his usual latte, a necessity throughout the day. Second, he would take the transit system to the ETOD, where he would take the elevator up to the top floor, where Max had made his domain. Then, he would sort through paperwork with about five other unlucky souls designated to that job. Every hour or so they'd see someone falling from the tower, likely for displeasing Max. Max always made sure that he never had to see his handiwork up close. Then, once they were finished with the day and Max's shenanigans had been taken care of, Evil One would return to his apartment and sleep.

Today, however, immediately struck him as different.

It started when he could hear voices before he'd even gotten up out of bed. Yawning, and rubbing the sleep out of his dopey eyes, Evil One looked outside to see protesting going on. It was pointless, really. Either it devolved into a full-scale riot or Max's drones came in and "persuaded" them to stop their protesting. Or both.

Evil One yawned as he walked into the coffee shop. "Hey, Gordon," he waved lazily as he walked to the counter. "The usual, if you would."

"Oh, right," Gordon said from behind the counter, glancing around nervously. "Uh, I'm afraid I can't serve you today."

Evil One looked confused. "Why not?"

"Well, James, you see-"

"Ah!" Evil One interrupted.

"Ah, sorry, Evil One...you see...er...um..." the owner put his hand in his pockets. "I'm afraid...that I can't serve you today!"

"What?"

The owner gulped. "And...I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Evil One furrowed his eyebrows, his entire world view shattered. "What? But...I've been a loyal customer for years! W-why?" His lip quivered, and Gordon cringed. Evil One always had a way of making him feel guilty. Whether it was intentional or not was another story.

Gordon sighed. "Well...today's...um...a..." Evil One narrowed his eyes at him. "I can't tell you."

"You can tell me!" Evil One protested. "I don't do much!"

"Ain't that the truth," Gordon muttered under his breath. "Er, yeah. I can't tell you and there's nothing you can do to..." He looked up to see that Evil One was giving him puppy eyes. "YOU'RE A GROWN MAN, JAMES, NOT A PUPPY! YOU ARE NOT CUTE! STOP IT!"

He didn't.

"STOP, I COMMAND YOU!"

Evil One did not oblige.

Gordon nearly tore his hair out at this. "OKAY, FINE! The resistance snuck into the city, okay? Word's traveled around that Moreau's here HIMSELF! We're not sure what he's after, but that's all I know! Just...just...STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT! IT'S WEIRD, OKAY?"

"Moreau..." Evil One trailed off, back to his usual self. "Okay...thank you. I'll be off now! Thanks!"

As he left, Gordon placed a hand to his temple, groaning. "My God, what have I done..."

* * *

Max remained in his usual grandiose room, fingers steepled as he observed the file documenting Owen's death. He'd attempted to run from authorities after stealing food for his family, and after a struggle had been gunned down in the street.

"Pity," he sniffed, before swiping his finger across the screen to something else.

"SIR!"

Max looked up as Evil One burst through the door, breathing heavily and chest heaving.

"Yes, minion? What is it?" Max asked, sounding concerned.

Evil One coughed. "Moreau...resistance...they're in the city!"

"WHAT?" Max yelled. "HOW DARE YOU BRING ME THIS NEWS? I SHOULD HAVE YOU EXECUTED FOR BRINGING ME THIS NEWS!" he bellowed, pulling out a death ray.

Evil One adopted a perplexed look. "...what?"

Max sighed. "It...um...it means that, well, isn't it expected of me to kill people who bring bad news?"

"It's not a good idea," Evil One said. "Plus, we've kinda been working together for a long time, so..."

Max sniffed. "Whatever. It's not important. EVIL ONE! FETCH DAVE, IZZY, AND MATHESON AT ONCE! WE MUST NOT LET THEIR PRESENCE HERE LINGER ANY LONGER!"

"Linger any longer?" Evil One asked, bemused at the choice of words.

Max opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. He sighed. "Whatever! GO!" Evil One scrambled off, a squeak coming out of his mouth as he did so.

Max sighed and sat down. "Why is it so hard, being an evil overlord?"

A buzzing noise interrupted his thoughts. With a yawn, Max looked down to see that someone was calling him. Alejandro Burromuerto.

"Max?" the Spaniard's smooth voice came from the device. "It's been a while! We rarely do our business dealings in person any more."

"You were at the party," Max accused. "Acting VERY condescending towards your overlord. Why would you act like that?"

Alejandro had neglected to use the video option, so Max couldn't tell what his expression was, but a laugh filled the speakers. "I apologize, amigo. It would not do the public well to know that Signal Industries has nothing more than a grudging partnership with your enterprise. By making them think that we aren't close, we prevent them from targeting my company if rebellion should occur."

Max sniffed again. "Very well. You've convinced me. But regardless, this chat will have to be for another day. I'm going to personally lead a cleansing of my city! Those rotten rebels have INVADED my territory! They shall be crushed!" Max grinned evilly, before returning to his normal facial expression. "Oh, and once that's over with, I'll be happy to meet!"

"Excellent!" Alejandro replied. "I will look forward to it."

The transmission shut off, and Max narrowed his eyes. He didn't trust Al. Eel as he was.

"He thinks he's so smart," Max grumbled. "Well, he doesn't have an IQ of 367! At least I have that going for me."

Max had bullied the examiner into giving him that IQ, but he chose to ignore that particular fact.

Quickly, Max moved through the halls towards the elevator. Quickly, he got inside, and pressed the button which would lead to the airships. As the elevator went down, he quickly prepared himself with his usual death ray. The fact that he'd never really personally saw to the extermination of an enemy in the flesh seemed to slip his mind.

The elevator opened and Max quickly walked to the helicopter. Dave ran up beside him, clearly furious. "What do you think you're doing, Max?"

"Eliminating a threat," Max sniffed. "You coming?"

"You're not even wearing any armor!" Dave protested. "Come on, what's the point of this?"

Max pointed his death ray at Dave. "I AM wearing armor. Just underneath. I'm not a total moron, David. I know you think I am, but..." Max gestured around him, death ray in hand and smirked. "I got here somehow, didn't I?"

Dave grumbled to himself, and quickly pulled on the necessary gear for the job. He holstered his gun and sighed melodramatically.

Several airships sat down on the roof and Dave could see Matheson entering one, barking orders to his subordinates. Max took the largest airship for his own, closely followed by Izzy and Evil One. Dave looked to see that the final remaining ship was still open. Max didn't like huge missions, but he always wanted enough men to make a grand entrance. Sighing, Dave entered the helicopter.

"I pity you, you know," Noah's voice came from the cockpit. "It's a pretty shitty deal, getting stuck with him."

"It's my job," Dave sighed. "I was told to do it, so I plan on doing it."

Noah rolled his eyes and pressed several buttons as the helicopter's blades began to spin. "Yeah, I'm _sure _that's all it is."

As one, the three airships took to the sky.

Dave leaned back as he observed the twenty or so other men that had somehow managed to be fit into the airship. The mild chatter quieted down as the intercom turned on and Max's nasally voice came through.

_"Listen well, all. It appears as though the resistance has decided that they can trespass on my turf. We plan to show them that we are NOT to be trifled with, and that our EVIL will defeat all who try to oppose us! Here is the plan."_

In the middle of the room, a hologram fizzed to life, showing an old, rrun-down compound that appeared to have at one point been military.

_"Our spies have determined that they are operating out of this hellhole. But don't let its rundown appearance fool you! They are VERY well-armed, and VERY dangerous. Show no mercy, and for Evil's sake, PLEASE be able to shoot accurately...that's one evil overlord tradition I DON'T want to follow. Max out."_

Max sighed as he shut off the mic. He turned to see Izzy nodding and smiling, in gear as well. Evil One adjusted his body armor awkwardly. "Max, I'm not exactly...very good at shooting."

"True," Max replied. "But I trust you. So I want you to stay close to me."

Evil One's eyes widened. "You trust me?"

"Is that a surprise?"

Evil One sputtered for a bit before taking a deep breath and sighing. "A bit."

"What about me?" Izzy asked. "Ya don't trust me?"

"You will also remain close to me," Max said with a scoff. "The more the eviler."

"I believe it's 'the more the merrier-"

"NO IT ISN'T SHUT UP."

Izzy shrugged. "Fine, fine, little gnome dude...yeesh."

Max scoffed again and held up his death ray, and looked outside to see that they were rapidly approaching the old building. Quickly, he turned on the intercom again. _"Attention fools! We are nearing our target!"_

"Max," Izzy began, but Max shushed her.

_"Surround it, and take it by storm! Kill them ALL!"_

"Max..." Izzy tried to warn again, but Max wouldn't listen.

_"Leave no survivors! NOW GO!"_

"MAX!" Izzy yelled, and Max spun to look at her.

"WHAT?" he replied in exactly the same tone.

"YOU JUST TURNED ON THE MIC _FOR THE ENTIRE HELICOPTER!" _Izzy screamed, and Max's eyes widened.

A second later, the airship swerved, sending Max flying to the ground as the pilot swerved to avoid the rockets that had just fired at the airships after Max had accidentally let them know as to their presence.

"GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!" Max ordered. "SET US DOWN SET US DOWN SET US DOWN!"

Evil One screamed as the pilot swerved again. Max looked up to see his protege flying directly towards him.

CRASH.

"Ow..." Max groaned from the ground.

"Setting you down now!" The pilot exclaimed, clearly panicked.

Quickly, the airship dropped, leading to more screaming.

"THIS IS WHY YOU WEAR A SEAT BELT!" Evil One yelled.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Izzy screamed, grinning.

The airship quickly sat down on the ground. If its tail could be between its legs, it probably would be.

The door opened and quickly the men started filing out, guns in hand. Max had taken the only death ray for his own. Evil One slowly crawled to his feet and proceeded to vomit all over the entrance to the ship.

"Delightful," Max sniffed, stepping over it. Izzy jumped over it and Evil One stumbled over it on the way out. Gross.

They could hear muffled yells from inside the compound, and Max ordered his men to advance. The sound of gunfire rang out through the air, and Max held up his death ray, ready to fire.

"Do I have to kill people?" Izzy asked nervously. "I may like yanking peoples' chains but I don't want to kill people."

"No, you just stay near me," Max reassured her. He nodded to Evil One. "Same with you."

Max held up his death ray and examined the metal door blocking their entrance, and quickly pulled the trigger. A blast of energy exited the death ray, blowing open the door. "Onward!" Max yelled as he entered. Izzy and Evil One followed reluctantly.

Max screamed and ducked as an enemy actually had the nerve to fire at him. "Danger, bad danger!" he yelled. "Somebody get rid of him! He's very mean!"

They heard a gunshot from the other end of the hallway. Izzy scowled at Max a bit. "You're kind of a coward."

Max raised his death ray instinctively before remembering that he actually somewhat liked Izzy. He poked his head around the corner to see Dave with a gun in his hand, looking bored as all hell.

Max stood up and started walking towards him. "Where is everyone?" He asked.

"Matheson's plane got shot down," Dave replied. "They're all dead except for the man himself. Come on, we need to keep moving."

Evil One's eyes widened. "They're dead?"

"Keep moving," Dave growled. "I'm not hanging around you guys. My men are tearing through theirs. Just go. Their main room is...five floors above us."

Max grinned and kept going. A group of enemy soldiers fired at them. Max raised his death ray and quickly blasted them to smithereens. No blood, merely ashes. Max ran over them, laughing maniacally, his fancy contraptions once again allowing him to dehumanize his targets.

"Is he okay?" Izzy asked Evil One nervously, who scratched his head.

"I...don't know," he admitted. "He doesn't like seeing blood. Which is why I'm kinda worried about him being here."

Izzy nodded and ran after him, while Evil One walked more slowly.

"Holy..." the voice came from behind Evil One, and he whipped around, pointing his gun at the figure.

Evil Two stood before him, looking completely bewildered to see him there.

"Evil Two?" the former partner asked. "It's been forever!"

The man growled, pulling out his gun. "Don't call me that. It's Marcus. I'm done associating with that halfwit fucktard, Max." He sneered. "You hung around with him all these years? That's kind of sad."

Evil One threw down his gun. "Regardless, I'm not shooting you. ...and since when was your name Marcus? I thought it was-"

" I changed it to protect my identity," Marcus interrupted, tossing his gun to the ground as well. "And James, it's nice to see that you're still a moron."

Several other guns clicked and Evil One sighed as the other soldiers surrounded him. He raised his hands in the air.

"Come on boys," Marcus yawned as several men surrounded Evil One. "This one is close to Max. Let's get out of here and cut our losses. Moreau will understand."

* * *

Dave moved through the halls on his own, moving up the stairs. Downstairs, a shootout was occurring and Dave didn't really want to get his hands dirty at the moment. As he heard screams, he continued up the stairs to the fifth floor, more nervous than he was letting on.

As he rounded the corner, he looked and his stomach shriveled a little bit.

Sky stood in front of him, gun in her hand, expression frozen on her face as she saw Dave.

"Been a while, hasn't it?" Dave commented, holding up his own gun.

"If you think that I'm going to just sit and chat just because of some bullshit failed romance I'm not going to shoot you right now, you're wrong," Sky replied coldly. "I have priorities, and you aren't one of them. Hands in the air."

Reluctantly, Dave put his hands in the air. "How have you been?" he asked casually, a note of passive-aggressive menace in his voice as he did so. Sky didn't respond, instead searching him for weapons. "You know, I've been pretty good...you know...after you betrayed me and left me for dead."

"Shut up," Sky growled as she searched his pockets, finding nothing but tissue paper and breath mints. "Why the hell did you bring these along?" she asked, and took the gun from Dave's hand.

"Do you know how long it took anyone to find me?" Dave asked, the venom becoming more clearly pronounced in his voice as he carried up the entire conversation. "A month. A month without anything. No Chris, no parents, no...no you. The entire time I thought, 'surely they'd rescue me.' But they didn't."

A brief look of pain flashed across Sky's face, but it quickly passed.

She decked him across the face. "Is that why you joined Max then? Because that seems kind of petty if you ask me!"

"You want me to show you the scars?" Dave snarled, staggering to his feet. "You still think you're some nice girl, right? And that's why you're here. Sticking up for the people. But you see me? You didn't rescue me. You threw a _fit _when you lost. You're a fucking hypocrite and I can't wait to watch you burn."

Sky clicked her gun, aiming it at Dave's forehead. "Not. Another. Word."

Dave smirked, remaining quiet.

The sound of an explosion rocked the corridor, and Dave took his chance.

Quickly, he knocked the gun out of Sky's hands and aimed a punch for her face. Sky intercepted and attempted to sweep him under the legs. Dave crashed to the ground, but immediately recovered and kicked Sky in the face. He scrambled for his own weapon, but just as he grabbed hold of his gun Sky smashed him in the face.

Blood flowed from his cheek as Sky kicked the gun away, quickly holding up her own gun. Sky aimed it at Dave, who lay coughing on the ground. Her finger lightly pressed against the trigger.

But she did not pull it.

And in that moment of hesitation, Dave turned and pressed a button on his watch, sending out an electric shock that blinded Sky momentarily. She let out a scream as Dave ran for his life, using kleenex to wipe his bleeding face off. He quickly took the stairs two steps at a time, shocking several enemy soldiers that came his way before bursting out the door, gasping for breath.

Dave's face was neutral, but his heart was beating faster than it had in years.

* * *

Max stopped in front of a large, metal door that stood between him and the main control room of the compound. He took a deep breath. "Okay...it is time to meet my nemesis. No biggy. Should probably leave a good impression...yeah. Should be good. Evil laugh? No, I have a cold. No evil laugh today."

"What are you rambling about?" Izzy asked, sounding surprisingly deadpan.

"This is a big moment, minion," Max exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. "I want to make an excellent first impression. Everything needs to be perfect! You don't know the feeling of having someone against you at every turn! This is going to be the start of a beautiful nemesisship."

"You're weird," Izzy stuck her tongue out at him. "Just blow the door open!"

Max groaned. "Fiiiiiiiine!"

Dramatically, he raised the death ray and blew the door open.

On the other side, about seven men plus Moreau stood with weapons in their hands.

Moving quickly, Max started disintegrating men before they could fire at him, while Izzy cringed, having tried to convince him that killing people wasn't the best option, but the fool wouldn't listen.

One of the men fired off rounds at Max, but missed due to the fact that he was untrained, and guns were a lot harder to use than Hollywood made it appear. Max quickly disintegrated him as well.

Moreau scowled, and Max wrinkled his face upon seeing him. "You look ugly," Max said without a trace of irony entering his voice.

Moreau raised his gun but Max gestured to his death ray. "I assume I shouldn't move," the Japanese businessman said smoothly. "I know how this ends. You wish to kill me, correct?"

"No," Max said. "I'd much rather prefer to take you prisoner and parade you around for a bit before executing you as an example of why you shouldn't be disobeying my authority."

"You kill me," Moreau replied slowly and clearly. "Others will just take up the reins. We're tired, Max."

Izzy looked around, as if uncertain of what to do in the current situation.

"Well..." Max scratched his head. "I'm tired too! I went to be at TEN O CLOCK last night! I know, horrible! I need to get more sleep."

"You fail at dramatic talk," Moreau replied bluntly.

Max sputtered a bit at this. "WHAT did you just say to me? That...that's just rude...you're rude! You probably don't even know what the word dramatic means!"

"Certainly not taking time out of your day to bicker pointlessly with me?" Moreau pointed out, and Max readied his death ray.

"Don't test my patience," Max growled.

Moreau lowered his gun and, with no sense for anything dramatic, fired.

Max looked down to see the wound seeping from his lower stomach. Izzy gasped.

"You...are not invincible," Moreau said, smiling as Max looked down numbly before screaming.

"WHAT IS THIS?" Max yelled. "Why does my tummy hurt so much? What...what...did you just _shoot _me?" Max asked, horrifed.

"You die, nothing will change," Moreau said, putting his gun away. "I don't want to kill you, Max, because then _I'd _be the one stuck with your mess."

Izzy raised her gun and growled. "You make no sense!"

"No, it is _you _who makes no sense!" the businessman replied. "Why do you help him when he's caused this world so much pain?"

"'Cause he's a cool guy," Izzy said. "Even if he's a little nuts." Max collapsed, and Izzy attempted to drag him out.

Moreau smiled. "You keep believing that. You'd be best to get him to a doctor...you won't have time to take me in." Moreau started walking towards an open window, an odd choice of design for a seemingly secure military bunker. "Ciao." Quickly, the businessman jumped out, and Izzy ran to the window and looked down to see that he'd jumped onto an airship similar to that that Max had.

Realizing that it was too late to go after him, Izzy ran back over to Max, who was wheezing in and out, holding his hands to the wound. "Get it off, get it off..." he groaned. "Mommy?"

Izzy turned on her intercom. "This is Izzy, reporting! Max has been shot! Repeat, Max has been shot and needs immediate medical attention!"

Max took the mic and looked at it for a moment before vomiting into it. Izzy cringed as Max dropped the useless item. Slowly, people trickled into the room, trying to help but not really knowing how to. Finally, two doctors came in with a stretcher and carried the overlord away.

Izzy looked around for Evil One, but was unable to find him. Quickly, she walked over to Dave, who was staring out into nothing. "You seem off," she noted.

"This was a pretty big failure," Dave replied, face still blank. "They escaped...and yeah, he got shot."

Izzy nodded. "Uh, small question."

"Fire away."

"What exactly do you do for working with Max?"

Dave turned to Izzy and sighed. "Max couldn't have gotten to where he is today without a helpful benefactor, whom I represent. We provided the money to create a contract with Signal Industries, and we used our agents throughout the world to kick off his takeover."

Izzy's eyes widened. "Wow...why?"

Dave turned away from Izzy so that she couldn't see his face. "Because that's my job. And I don't ask questions."

Izzy's widened eyes narrowed, and she turned away from Dave, remaining quiet as she walked away.

Once he was sure that Izzy was out of earshot, Dave pulled out his phone, punched in a number, and made a call.


	8. Chapter 8: Meeting

**After careful consideration, I have realized that the current title is fairly shitty and needs to be changed. I mean, you can't even use an acronym in regular conversation. XD So as a result, I have changed the title and will be putting a disclaimer in the summary about it.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

As the door closed and she was freed from the gaze of the soldiers who would gladly die for her, Sky slumped into a chair, mouth open in a sigh of anxious tiredness.

"Long day, right?"

Moreau glanced at Sky from his usual spot, the comfortable armchair that had been his and his alone since his childhood, and his only remnant of his life before Max's takeover. Some criticized that he seemed to place personal comfort over that of his men, but the fact was their funds were mostly being directed towards the war effort, and didn't have time for very many luxuries. Moreau had stated that soldiers could bring any mementos from home, "as long as they can fit in the bunker and won't get us all killed," he'd joked.

Sky sighed. "Yeah. Seems so long ago...hard to believe that ten years ago my biggest problem was a reality show and trying to get into the Olympics."

Moreau handed her a cup of coffee, folding his legs as he did so. "And yet it seems that that 'reality show' has its own way of coming back to bite you in the ass, no?"

Moreau observed his protege's muscles tense, and he mentally filed that particular trigger in his mind. Sky looked around before turning back to him. "I fought with Dave. And...he wasn't easy to beat. He even got the upper hand on me for a brief moment. Yeah, I put him back in his place pretty quickly, but the fact that..._he _is working with Max and can fight toe to toe with me...it's discouraging." She paused. "Plus, he...he said that I left him for dead...I wouldn't do that. I shouldn't have done that."

Moreau smiled comfortingly, but the gears in his mind were hard at work as he chose his next words carefully and methodically. "Dave was not your fault. He still is not your fault. He may want you to believe otherwise, but _you must not doubt yourself, _dear. He's working with a self-proclaimed villain. He'd do anything to get into your head."

Sky relaxed somewhat. "You're sure? I-I...he said it took a month for anyone to find him."

Moreau made eye contact with Sky, refusing to let go. "That is not your fault. You didn't know. You thought someone else would have taken him. But it doesn't matter now." Moreau leaned back. "Dave is the enemy. We eliminate the enemy."

Sky looked at the ground, still uncertain. "If you say so..."

"I _do _say so," Moreau said, putting on his most honest, trustworthy face. "We're in the right. Once the plan goes into action, Max will be imprisoned. Same with Dave. We'll clean up the mess, and we will be heroes. We're the good guys, Sky."

"I know that," Sky snapped. "Did you think I didn't know that?"

"Your tone implied otherwise," Moreau stated faux-meekly.

Sky rose to her feet. "Thank you for trying to help, sir. I'm feeling better now."

Moreau's smile widened. "Good! I hope to see us all get back to work and overcome our obstacles."

The athlete nodded in response. "See you around, then." With that, Sky started to walk out the door.

"Wait!"

Sky stopped before turning around to face her boss again. "Yes?"

Moreau smiled again, looking her in the eye. "I'll need your services for something big soon. Don't worry. Next time, we _won't _fail."

A small smile formed on Sky's face. "Thank you, sir." Quietly, she slipped out the door and out of sight.

Moreau took another sip of his coffee. Sky was an asset. Nothing more, nothing less. She would need to perform at maximum efficiency in order to take control from Max. Moreau prided himself on personally knowing every single man and woman who worked in the same division as him. Their greatest strengths, their greatest weaknesses. Their hopes and dreams, their greatest regrets. The sentences they needed to hear that would make them die for him, and the sentences that would make them break down and lose all hope.

The businessman set his coffee down and pulled out his tablet, flicking his finger to pull up a psychological profile of a certain purple-haired, tyrannical dictator.

Moreau smirked.

"Max Vile, let's see how I can break you."

* * *

"I got shot. _I _got shot. I...I can't believe it."

Max lay against the back of the Plexiglas cell, as Scarlett lay against the back of the other. Her green eyes stared forward aimlessly as Max continued his story. It had been a week since his last visit, but since then Scarlett's usually talkative nature had dried up even more. It was too much effort to speak in her normal manner. It was too much effort to do anything anymore.

Morris's delight in electrocuting her whenever she had the chance, physical beatings, and food from hell had shriveled her. Many had hoped to tame Scarlett, make her obey, and in that regard the sadistic guard had succeeded. However, where there was fire before, now there was a dead blankness to her, a comatose acceptance of her fate. Her wild red hair was dampened with sweat. Max had thought that the last time he'd seen Scarlett would be the worst she got.

He was wrong. Scarlett was worse than skin and bones now.

Max sighed. "He...he could have killed me! But he didn't! He...he said that I wasn't invincible...and he was right. I'm not. It makes me...uneasy."

"No one is immune to a gunshot," Scarlett croaked, the first words she'd spoken since Max had arrived.

Max's eyes widened as he heard how desperate and pathetic her voice had become, a pang of sympathy through his heart. But not enough to change her officer, or to help her out. "I guess you're right. But ever since that happened, I just have been feeling like...everyone's keeping things from me."

_Probably because they are, _Scarlett wanted to say, but her lips did not seem capable of moving, her eyes still staring at the wall in front of her.

Max sighed. "I'm probably just being paranoid. After all, being evil makes enemies. But even so...I'm supposed to know everything. I'm supposed to do everything. How can I do that if people are keeping things from me?"

Scarlett did not respond.

Max sighed. "Sometimes I regret that I did this, but now that I think about it, there's not really an easy way to step down. You have to choose someone to hold up the legacy of evil. Someone worthy of ruling the world." He sniffed, haughtiness returning to his voice for the first time in the conversation. "I don't really know why I'm even telling you this, it's not like you'd understand."

Scarlett made a low growling noise in her throat, her mouth remaining closed.

Max gestured with his hands as he talked. "It just kind of seems like you want me to fail, but I'm surprised you haven't taken steps to escape. It's what _I _would do in your situation, after all."

"Would...you?" Scarlett choked out.

Max rose to his feet, turning so that he could see Scarlett. Slowly, the redhead turned to face him as well, sliding along the floor so that her deadened stare met his eyes. "Would...you..._really?"_

Max's stomach lurched and he rubbed the bandage uncomfortably. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

"You...would get past..._this?"_ Scarlett snarled, her voice guttural and strained, gesturing to her condition. "Shocks...daily? Beatings...daily? Abysmal food...daily?"

"I'd find a way," Max replied calmly, although his face showed that he wasn't quite so sure.

"No..." Scarlett said, voice lowering into a guttural rumble. "No you _wouldn't."_

"Oh?" Max asked, raising his eyebrows. Morris waved to him from his post, holding up the shock dial as a question. Max shook his head "no."

"You would _never..."_ Scarlett choked, looking up to him, her deadened stare gone, in its place, shockingly, _fear. _"Never...EVER...get through this."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not in there then," Max said with his usual sniff.

Scarlett was quiet for a moment. "So arrogant...like you always were" she muttered. She looked at him and in an instant her expression changed from fearful to completely and utterly insane. "I'LL END YOU!" With a nightmarish screech, Scarlett hurled herself at the Plexiglas, clawing and tearing, snarling and spiting in her attempt to murder the fool who had gotten in the way of her plans once and for all.

Max backed away, eyes wide as saucers as Scarlett let out a stream of obscenities, drool falling from her mouth as all reason left her body, in its place pure, unadulterated fury.

"Hold on," Morris yawned, and quickly cranked the dial, sending voltage pumping through Scarlett. Max backed up even further in horror as his former sidekick writhed and screamed on the ground.

Slowly, Morris turned the dial back down and Scarlett lay smoking on the ground.

Mouth open, Max slowly walked towards the glass.

As he put his face up to it, he screamed as Scarlett lunged toward him again, letting out her loudest and most inhuman shriek imaginable, before finally collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

"Sorry about the mess," Morris shrugged. "She tends to do that. Ya can be on your way now, sir."

"I...I'll do that," Max replied, stunned, and walked away from Scarlett's unconscious body once and for all.

"I'm never coming back..." he muttered under his breath, and then continued along with his day.

* * *

"Ladies, gentlemen, if we may begin?" Alejandro inquired, sitting down in his armchair. In the room were Max, Izzy, Dave, and Matheson. Max was uncharacteristically quiet, while Izzy was fidgety. Matheson was his usual hard-boiled self and Dave was staring at Alejandro with an unclear purpose.

Signal Industries operated out of New York ever since the contract had been struck up all those years ago. Alejandro had rarely if at all come to make deals himself, so his insistence now struck Max as suspicious. Regardless, the negotiation would occur, whether or not all parties involved trusted each other.

"You all know how this has worked," Alejandro said. "I see no reason to bring anyone up to date on how the deal has been run."

"Actually, Izzy doesn't know just yet," Max said, gesturing to the redhead, who snapped back to attention upon hearing her name. "Tell it for her sake."

Alejandro sighed, leaning back. "The way Dave's employer set things up was so that the contract with us would initially be paid by whoever your benefactor is." Dave bit his lip at this. "After Max's operation was capable of sustaining itself, Max has paid me directly ever since." Alejandro glanced around irritably. "Now can we get on with the specifics?"

"Very well," Max sniffed. "I'm not very good with numbers."

"I can tell by the education system you installed," Dave muttered, only to receive a glare from both Alejandro and Max.

"Which is why you've had Dave fill in for you in these meetings," Alejandro said. "But, with this resistance emerging, and a certain...other happenstance that negatively affected me that I do not wish to divulge, I felt it was important to make personal contact."

"I have no idea what anyone's saying and we haven't even really started yet," Izzy sighed.

"How much do you want for how long?" Max asked.

"I think that ten percent of your income would be sufficient," Alejandro suggested.

Max scoffed. "Ten percent? I'm not giving you that much! Five percent at the MOST!"

"How about that, then?" Alejandro asked smoothly.

Max rubbed the back of his head. "I'm already paying five percent to my benefactor...very well. That works, for the next ten years?"

"Assuming your reign is long and prosperous," Alejandro smiled with a mock-toast.

Max's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"

"No, no!" he replied nervously. "Not a threat, just a statement."

"What about the resistance?" Dave asked. "Some money is going to be needed in order to make more weapons to take them out."

"I do not create drones," Alejandro replied. "So I cannot provide there. You have _other _companies for that. I will attempt to find new and improved weaponry and armor and I'll give it to you when I make it for a price, clear?"

Max nodded. "Clear."

"Will that be all?" Alejandro asked with a slight smirk.

Max thought back to when he'd seen Heather at the party, having said something about him betraying her.

"Yes. That will be all."

Alejandro grinned. "In that case, I'll see you around! Ciao, all!"

Max stood and shook Alejandro's hand before walking out. With a satisfied yawn, Izzy scratched her back with her foot before getting up and walking out. Dave continued to stare at Alejandro for a few seconds, brooding, before finally getting up to follow.

Matheson was already gone.

* * *

"Ey, he's waking up."

Several blurry figures stood over Evil One as he slowly regained consciousness. He glanced around as the world slowly stopped spinning and he looked around at where he was.

"Wow," Evil One said. "An abandoned warehouse, tied to a chair. And _we're _the bad guys."

The figure closest to him slapped Max's assistant in the face. As Evil One's eyes slowly started to focus, he saw that it was the man he'd referred to for a long time as Evil Two, now known as Marcus.

"Never took you as one for sass, James," Marcus said, playing with a knife as the three other goons hovered around Evil One. "I don't think I like it too much. Back in the day, _I _provided the much needed sarcasm."

"You think you can get me to talk?" Evil One asked incredulously. "I would _never _betray Max. He is one of the wisest men on the planet."

The four goons burst out into laughter at this. Marcus clutched his chest as he cackled violently. "Oh, wow...do you actually believe that, James? Or are you just trying to convince yourself?" Lazily, Marcus pressed the flat of the knife against Evil One's throat. "No matter. I'm not really one for torture, believe it or not. I don't like the long, drawn-out screams. Death is quicker, ya know?" He moved the knife away from his former partner's throat. Said former partner began to whimper.

"Regardless," Marcus sneered. "The Butcher will be here soon enough to...talk to you."

"You sound like you're trying to imitate someone in a movie, and failing," Evil One commented. "Badly."

The knife was back at his throat within another second, Marcus's other hand on his shoulder, all sense of personal space lost. "Do you think you're some kind of funny guy?"

Evil One appeared calm but in reality was sweating. Slowly, the anxiety left him and he realized how he was going to get out of this. "I need to pee."

An awkward silence filled the room as Marcus became conscious that he was almost literally on top of Evil One. He backed up, and the four men looked bewildered at the prisoner's response to being threatened.

"What?" Marcus asked.

"I need to pee," Evil One said. "Could you let me pee? Please?"

"We're not bringing toiler humor into this! It's not funny, PERIOD!"

"I thought it was kinda funny," one of the grunts mumbled to themselves.

"Oh?" Marcus whipped his head to face the man. "Only an idiot enjoys that kind of humor! Ergo, you're an idiot!"

"I am NOT an idiot!" the grunt snarled while holding his gun backwards.

"SHUT IT!" Marcus bellowed, and Evil One smirked as he played off of Marcus's irritability.

"Boss, please calm down–" one of the men begged, only to have Marcus turn and stab him.

"YOU SHUT IT!" he yelled. He stormed off, literally shaking with rage. "STAY HERE AND GUARD HIM, I'M GETTING THE BUTCHER!"

The sound of a door opening and closing echoed throughout the warehouse.

It was quiet.

Evil One started to whistle, prompting the two guards to look at him. "I'm sorry?" he asked. "I can't whistle? Your friend is kinda bleeding out..."

"None of us are friends," the closest guard stated gruffly.

It was quiet for another minute. Literally no sound could be heard except for the poor guard sputtering and dying.

The prisoner spoke up again. "I actually know stuff about doctors, I can help you."

"I thought we said we didn't know each other!" the guard growled.

"You said you weren't _friends,"_ Evil One pointed out, taking them literally. "That's not the same thing."

"It might as well be!"

"Look, I know stuff about doctors and I don't think that Marcus would mind! He seems like he'd like three guys beating me up instead of two!"

The guards looked to each other and sighed. "Fiiiiine. But if you try anything FUNNY," the guard said threateningly, brandishing his pistol, "we put a bullet through your head!"

"Deal!" Evil One chirped happily. While the one guard pointed the gun at him, the other untied him. Evil One rose to his feet, stretching. "Ohhhhh man, that feels better. Let's see, then." He walked over to the bleeding man and stood over him for about a minute, examining what weapons he had on him and how he could get to it quickly.

"Well?" the first guard asked.

"Well," Evil One said. "It appears as though he has been stabbed."

"Wow, thank you," the guard deadpanned. "You're a lifesaver. What do we do?"

Evil One stroked his chin. "Well, it appears as though he needs medical attention."

"Yeah, _you said you had it."_

Evil One turned away from them and eyed the gun on the floor next to the bleeding man. He smirked. "No."

"No?"

Moving like a blur, Evil One grabbed the gun, and fired off about six shots, hitting both men, knocking them back to the ground in a spray of blood.

Evil One smiled amicably. "I said I knew stuff about doctors. Doctors help people and get a lot of money doing it." He shrugged, still carrying up the conversation as the two men bled out. "That's pretty much all my knowledge on it, but yeah, I think you _all _need a doctor now." He waved as he walked away. "Anyway, it was nice talking with you!"

As Evil One walked out the door, he pulled out the cell phone he'd stolen from one of the men and dialed a number. "Hey, Max? It's me. I'm coming back."

"Oh yeah, and thanks for rescuing me you_ bitch."_


	9. Chapter 9: Negotiation

As Izzy slipped into the international archive, she couldn't help but feel that it was out of place with everything Max embodied–namely, chaotic stupid. Yet somehow the archive was neat, tidy, and digital. Officers sat at terminals, combing through records. It was organized–too organized for Max to have set up. Izzy assumed correctly that Dave had probably set up the system.

The archives theoretically could pinpoint a person's exact location and status on the planet. It wasn't perfect due to the fact that Max had instead chosen to exhaust the budget on a water slide for the ETOD which ultimately didn't end up working, causing significant ire from Dave. More so than usual, at any rate.

Despite the fact that she was technically allowed inside, Izzy couldn't help but feel like people wouldn't appreciate her being there. A grin spread across her face.

It was time to be sneaky.

Izzy crawled on the ground, whispering something about "being like Solid Snake" as she did so. In her mind she pretended she was in a video game, sneaky spy music playing clearly in her head. If she could have verbalized her epictastic theme music without being caught, she would have done so.

As an official snored at the terminal, Izzy slowly scooted the rolling chair away, sitting on the ground with terrible posture. Slowly, she began to type with her head and knees at keyboard level. It was uncomfortable and illogical seating, but Izzy had always been an uncomfortable and illogical kind of person, so she was cool with it.

"And what might you be doing?"

Izzy yelped and hit her head against the computer desk as the voice came from behind her. She turned around on the ground, expecting either Max or Dave to be behind her, reprimanding her for sneaking in.

What she didn't expect was former friend and annoyee Noah to be standing there, the only change in ten years being a height difference, some stubble, and constant dark circles under his eyes.

The redhead was shocked for a moment before getting up to her feet, grinning. "You know, I overheard Dave ranting about all the Total Drama contestants he had to work with earlier. Ha!" She started laughing. "How's it going? I haven't talked to you in a while!"

"It's been terrible," Noah said, no trace of sarcasm, in its place complete and total apathy. A resignation towards his lot in life. "Dave didn't tell you I worked with him?"

Izzy furrowed her eyebrows. "So you don't work for Max but the deliberately vague benefactor who refuses to show his or her face but will likely have a dramatic reveal sooner or later? The one who put Max on the throne?" Her friendliness dropped, in its place caution and suspicion. _"That _person?"

Noah sighed. "I am very limited in how much I can talk about my work." He tugged at his ear, drawing Izzy's sight to the earpiece inside. She nodded in understanding.

Izzy nodded. "I understand, bro! It's just kinda weird that I didn't know you were here. Haven't talked to Owen in a while, kinda worried he might be dead..." She gestured towards the terminal. "That's why I'm here. To find out."

Noah didn't seem to know what to say to this. "I...don't know what I can and cannot say. It fucking sucks, but it is what it is."

Izzy looked at Noah warily. "Whaddaya mean by that? C'mon..."

"There's a lot at stake here," Noah said. "This is bigger than it looks."

"It's bigger than the WORLD?" Izzy asked incredulously. "Is there like, aliens or something involved? Cause," she snorted. "I could actually get behind that."

Noah groaned. "No, no, not that...but regardless. I don't like keeping things secret, and dragging this out longer like Max and Dave seem content to do won't help things."

"What are you talking about?"

"Owen's dead," Noah said simply. "That what you expected to hear?"

Izzy's grin seemed to fix in its place and her eyes seemed to gloss over as she stared at Noah. It was quiet for at least thirty seconds as the smartass looked at his former friend sympathetically as the psycho bit down on her lip.

"And you...allied with the people who caused it?" Her voice was calm. Too calm for Izzy.

Noah tugged at his ear again, his other hand clenched in a fist and sweating from his forehead. "I can't say any more. But don't tell Max you know. In fact, forget this conversation even happened. In fact, I'd recommend not looking up the details."

"You're with them," Izzy replied coldly.

Noah bit his lip, and then opened his mouth and mouthed words to Izzy. _I had no choice._

"My talents were valuable, it pays well," Noah said, clearly struggling to keep his voice calm.

"Did Dave join for the same reason as you?" Izzy asked.

Noah shook his head. "No. He joined for a...personal reason."

"Like?"

"I can't say," Noah said regretfully. "Regardless, I hope you understand that you probably should have expected this, what, with Max having started his campaign by blowing up nuclear factories."

"True!" Izzy shouted, drawing attention to herself from everyone in the room. "Very, very true! But he seemed cool, and funny, and I thought that he wasn't as bad as everyone made him out to be! I never SAW the worst of the horrors! And if I did, I-I..." She growled. "I was already so screwed up that it did NOTHING to me!"

Noah was quiet for a moment, looking uncertain as to what he should say. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"He was your friend too!" Izzy protested, backing up.

Noah sighed and looked around. "Would everyone else in the room please leave?" Grudgingly, the people grumbled and complied, all except for the sleeping man. Noah gave him a sharp kick to the shins, breaking him out of his stupor.

After the last man had (finally) exited, Noah sighed and turned back to Izzy "Dave and I both have access to Max's commands. He didn't want you finding out about Owen. Incredibly, utterly stupid if you ask me. Much easier to just tell you as opposed to trying to drag it out, rather like ripping off a band-aid–"

"He knew?" Izzy began, only to have Noah raise a finger to his lips.

"Well, _duh," _Noah said. "He IS after all the ruler of the world," Noah said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Confront him about it later. I agree with you. This entire situation is ridiculous and needs to be sorted out." He paused. "Rationality will have to prevail. You'll have to talk to him about this. Right now, he's going to be a tiny bit busy."

_"With?"_

Noah sighed, scratching at his earpiece once again. "With..." He paused for a moment, seemingly only for the sake of drama.

"With a possibility of negotiations with Moreau."

* * *

Evil One stalked down the top corridor of the ETOD, furious. His hair was in complete disarray and his clothes were in tatters. Max hadn't answered any of his calls and had seemingly just left him to rot. Seeing another opportunity at documenting a side of Max's personality, he pulled out a red pen, humming to himself as he walked.

"Excuse me!" Dave stood in front of him. "You're not allowed in there! Max needs his privacy to begin negotiations–"

Evil One shoved Dave out of the way, who staggered for a moment before running back up beside him. "Since when did you get so violent? You're not allowed in there, simple as that."

"Sorry," Evil One said meekly, not really wanting a fight with Dave. "I want to be in there. It's important."

"Why is it important?" Dave whined as he struggled to keep up with Evil One's speed walk. "What could be so important that you have to be there RIGHT NOW?"

"I don't really like being held at gunpoint and not being rescued by my idol," Evil One sneered. "I want to give him a piece of my mind!"

"I'd love for you to do that _literally," _Dave grumbled. He sped up and once again attempted to block Evil One's way. "Would be a relief. Not like there's much mind to _give, _but–"

With an exasperated and exaggerated roll of his eyes, Evil One picked Dave up and judo slammed him into the ground.

"Sorry," Evil One winced as he continued walking. "Sorry sorry sorry..." He accelerated his pace and held up his red pen and wrote a note on his arm as he reached the door to Max's office.

Dave stared up at the ceiling vacantly and out of his closed mouth let out a small squeak.

Evil One opened the door to Max's office and entered to find that Max was merely sitting in his throne, staring at a blank screen.

"Sir, what are you doing?" Evil One asked.

"Waiting for this FOOL to show up!" Max growled, drumming his fingers impatiently. "He said that he would be willing to negotiate but he's LATE! I DO NOT TOLERATE LATENESS!"

"Did you know I was captured?" Evil One asked. "Did the thought even cross your mind?"

Max looked Evil One over for a moment before looking confused. "No. I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"At the infiltration! I was captured! You didn't NOTICE?" Evil One sniffled. "Why didn't you? How...I'm your assistant! We've worked together for _years!"_

"I had more important things to do!" Max protested. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to resume waiting for my foe!"

Evil One walked over to the screen. "Uh, Max?"

"What?"

"It's just turned off."

It was quiet for a moment before Max simply looked at Evil One with an unimpressed look on his face.

Evil One stared.

Max stared right back at him.

Evil One continued staring, eye twitching slightly.

Max attempted to imitate the eye twitch and failed miserably, making his face look like he'd just eaten something unpleasant.

Evil One continued staring.

Max continued staring.

Dave stumbled into the room, groaning, and looked around at the odd scene. "Should I turn the screen on or what?"

"GO AHEAD!" the two others said at the same time. Dave yelped and turned it on.

Moreau appeared on the screen with his arms folded and a raised eyebrow on his deformed face. "I've been waiting here for half an hour now. What was the delay?"

"It's not important," Max scoffed. "I had matters to attend to that were more important than this," he lied. "Something evil."

"How evil?" Moreau asked, barely keeping the amusement out of his voice.

"Well, um..." Max began. "Think of the most evil thing in the universe...and then multiply it..._by six!"_

Moreau's expression didn't change in the slightest, but he proceeded to sit down. "Regardless, perhaps we should discuss terms. Who's the scrub?" he asked, pointing towards Evil One.

"I am not a scrub!" the scrub protested, but was quickly shushed by Max and ordered to sit down. Dave wandered in front of the screen and took a seat elsewhere, staring in disbelief at Evil One.

"He's not important," Max replied. "I, on the other hand, am. So!" Max clasped his hands together diabolically. "Let's discuss this, man to man! What are your demands, terms, yada yada?"

Moreau's mouth opened in a toothy grin, an odd sight to Max, who inwardly and unironically wondered about how Moreau could be so ugly. "Well, for starters, you could dissolve your domain into several smaller governments, alleviating the stress of having to rule over the ENTIRE world."

"WHAT?" Max protested. "That's absolutely ridiculous! Ruling the world isn't hard!" he lied. His chest panged as he remembered his previous conversation with Scarlett. Strange how she'd been the only person he could really express to. But he had no intention of going back after her meltdown. No, she would just have to rot in jail.

"It's inefficient, is the thing," Moreau sneered. "Giving control to say, one nation per continent would be a much better way of going about things. I can't imagine the stress you must be under."

"You can't imagine..." Max muttered.

"Second point," Moreau continued. "You need to clean up the radiation. You killed millions of people with the reactor explosions. And did this." Moreau pointed roughly at his face. "I've _visited _the camps. I've _heard _the screams of agony. And what's more? _Babies were being killed because they were born deformed."_

Max's stomach lurched and his mouth opened slightly before he quickly composed himself, trying to recover from his gaffe. "I...I..." He tried not to think about the picture, about the babies, toddlers, children who had been affected.

Moreau's face brightened in a sadistic glee as he talked, clearly enjoying himself. "I watched you on Total Drama. I saw how much you adored infants. How much would it hurt if I SHOWED you what you've done to them? Eh?"

Evil One gulped and slouched in his chair, trying to make himself invisible. Dave was texting on his tablet, a surprising smile on his face unfitting of the situation. Evil One took note of it. Curious behavior...

Max shivered and seemed to try to make himself even smaller under Moreau's delighted glare. "I...I thought we were going to discuss terms."

"I thought you should know how much you've hurt everyone in this world," Moreau said gleefully. "So I compiled a little...presentation."

"Please..." Max replied weakly, gripping his arm sides tightly. "Don't..."

Moreau turned his head to the side. "Marcus! Roll the clip!"

Moreau's screen shut off. Evil One noted with confusion that Dave's smile only widened as he looked at his tablet.

The screen came on again. A shot of a deformed toddler struggling for life in the wreckage. Max felt something choke in his throat as the young boy's eyes stared into the camera, and as a result, Max.

A shot of the aftermath of the very first nuclear explosions. People screaming. In-depth shots of the wounds sustained by individuals. The sheer hopelessness and terror felt by the people. Sobbing, screeching, amputating.

And it was all Max could do to watch in abject horror as for the first time his work was shown directly to him without a proxy. Without the ability to desensitize or deflate the concerns.

_Stop, _he mouthed, eyes stuck on the screen as he observed his own soldiers decapitate an insurgent. As people were led around under a dictatorship. As his preconceived notions of what life was like outside of his little bubble crumbled down around him.

"STOP!" he shouted, standing up in his chair. "TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF! NOW!"

Evil One scrambled to his feet and lunged over to the screen, turning it off.

Max breathed heavily as Dave continued to look at his tablet. The germaphobe's smile faded. "Max..."

"What?" Max barked, voice cracking as he did so. "What is it NOW?"

"You might want to turn the screen back on."

"WHY?"

Dave gulped and motioned to turn it on. "It appears as though the resistance hijacked one of our stations and are broadcasting to...everywhere."

"WHAT?" Max bellowed, and Evil One once again scrambled to turn the screen on.

Sure enough, staring into the camera was Sky, mid-sentence.

"–it's hard," she said, addressing the people of the world confidently. "But know this!_ You are not alone. _Max has us all so isolated, so trapped that we think that we stand no chance! WRONG! We DO have a chance! We CAN fight back! And we WILL NOT STOP UNTIL–"

Max pressed a button on the remote and the screen changed to that of a very pleased Moreau.

"You _sneaky son of a bitch!" _Max snarled.

"Me?" Moreau asked, looking around innocently. "What did I do?"

"YOU KNOW FULL WELL WHAT YOU DID! THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NEGOTIATIONS!" Max stamped his foot against the ground, furious. Dave looked bored again.

Moreau let out a cackle at this. "Seriously? I knew you were too stubborn, too arrogant to discuss terms with! I KNEW that, so I decided to buy us some time without you looking over our shoulder. Now EVERYONE will receive the message! That you're WEAK!" Moreau's grin widened even further. "A revolution's coming, Max! It is, and always was, THE ONLY WAY!"

As Moreau was about to cut the connection, Marcus ran into the frame, whispering something in Moreau's ear. "What the hell is it?" Moreau growled irritably. "I'm kind of in the middle of something here..."

Marcus whispered to Moreau and his eyes widened, all pretense of smugness gone as he looked towards Max. "You continue to prove yourself a bigger fool by the minute."

"What?" Max protested, looking confused. "What did I do?"

As he said it, an explosion could be distantly heard from outside. Max turned to look out the window, seeing aircrafts in the distance. "What the..."

"You send BOMBERS after my men?" Moreau bellowed. "When they're in a public district, with witnesses nearby? THERE ARE INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THAT BUILDING!"

"What?" Max turned around. "I didn't send those bombers!"

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" Moreau spit. "I KNOW you, Vile! And you're a piece of shit, but I never thought you'd sink as low to order a bombing during negotiations!"

"COMPLETELY IGNORING the fact that you sent the team in the first place during the negotiations and sending me a video aimed to break me!" Max pointed out. "YOU'RE NOT PERFECT EITHER!"

"So you admit to it?" Moreau asked, the corners of his mouth upturning once again.

"That's NOT what I said!"

Another explosion rocked the city and Max turned to see smoke. The queasiness in his stomach increased. "This isn't right..."

"You're DAMN RIGHT it's not!"

"No..." Max said quietly. "That's not what I meant."

"Whatever!" Moreau shouted. "I'm done here! Good luck, Max! You just ruined any chance you had at redemption!"

The screen shut off, leaving the three men in the room.

"He's certainly a hypocrite," Dave sighed. "Just trying to get under your skin, Max. Don't worry. He's a radical, he'll do anything to make you feel like you don't deserve your post. Remember that we're in the right."

Max stood and began walking. "Who ordered the attacks?"

"Well–"

_"Who ordered the attacks?"_

Dave glared at Max defiantly. Evil One stood and walked over to Max's side, folding his arms threateningly.

"We don't know," Dave said. "I'll look into it."

Max kept his eyes narrowed, but for the moment he seemed satisfied.

"Whatever," he scoffed. "Look into it, then."

With that, Max walked out of the room, Evil One following like a lost puppy and marking another word on his arm with a red pen.

As the two left, Dave sighed in relief and slouched in his seat.

The smile returned to his face.

* * *

"–know that we're all behind you! Supporting you! And that no matter what, WE WILL NOT STOP FIGHTING!"

The transmission ended and Sky's face returned to its normal neutral expression.

"Seems kinda weird, right?" a blond soldier yawned. "Kinda feel like I read this in a book somewhere."

Sky laughed at this as she slowly started walking towards the door. The staff of Max's progaganda station were tied up but unharmed. "It does seem kind of outlandish that this is happening...I couldn't help but feel a little cheesy when I did that. But hey! There's not really any other way to do it when you're trying to start a revolution, right Isaac?"

Isaac sighed and walked with Sky and the other soldiers, ready to exit the building and slip back into the shadows. "I guess. It just sometimes seems like I don't really _trust_ Moreau is the thing."

Sky's face darkened and her hand went to her gun. "I don't know what you mean by that and I'm not sure I want to. What do you mean you don't trust him? He's fighting for what's right!"

"Just because he's fighting for the good guys doesn't mean he is one," Isaac pointed out. "He's manipulative."

"You HAVE to be to fight Max!" Sky protested. "Whatever...we can have this conversation when we get back to base. Let's go."

It was quiet for thirty seconds as the soldiers continued walking towards the exit. Something was off. Isaac could sense it. He stopped in his tracks and looked around, trying to analyze what was wrong.

Sky stopped when she realized that her friend had, and turned around, gritting her teeth at Isaac. "What are you doing?"

He was quiet, not paying attention to her.

"I said, _come on–"_

The first explosion rocked the corridor and terrified screams from soldiers and innocents filled the air as the hallway shook.

"Shit!" Sky yelled. "They found us! Move! Now!" The soldiers began running. Sky ran past a bound and gagged innocent, briefly contemplating saving her.

Another explosion and Sky stumbled, landing on her face, and she decided that she didn't have time to save anyone else. "Run!"

As Isaac opened the front door he screamed as the third bomb dropped right in front of it, quickly ducking for cover as the entire front of the building was blown off. Sky coughed as the dust began to settle and looked to see a soldier with shrapnel imbedded in his chest, slowly dying. She nodded and saluted him. The soldier weakly saluted back and Sky ran on.

The sound of coughing filled the air as Isaac struggled to his feet, pushing the rock crushing his right arm out of the way. "Oh no..." Sky said, running over and cringing at what remained of his arm. Sky looked up to see the bombers flying away. Odd...

"It's fine..." Isaac laughed, breathing heavily. "I'm left-handed anyways. C'mon, let's just get back to base."

Sky put a hand to her headset. "I've got wounded soldiers here, requesting extraction NOW! Enemy soldiers will be here soon!" As she spoke, she lifted a weapon off of a dead guard and readied it. "This is Sky, over!"

Isaac reached to his feet, coughing and bleeding. "C'mon...let's go."

Sky nodded. "Agreed. Just hold on a moment, they'll be here any time."

Two other soldiers supported Isaac as they exit the building. Sky looked at the carnage, and then at the weapon she'd pulled. She looked down in dark contemplation as she observed the name of the company.

"That's interesting..." she muttered. She turned around and strode towards the exit, barking orders as she did so.

She'd have to figure out what that meant later.

There was work to be done.

* * *

**We've nearly completed Act 1...thank you all so much for reading. The plot will be picking up for Act 2 and I'm REALLY looking forward to it. Although I will warn you that it might shift from "comedy with dramatic undertones" to "drama with comedic undertones" if it hasn't already. Thirty chapters total, three acts, I'd say that the plot has only just begun.**

**And it'll only get thicker from here.**


	10. Chapter 10: Crimson

Security tapes.

Bluh.

Most boring job in the world, particularly when Izzy had just learned that her boss wasn't quite the harmless villain she'd thought he was.

Why security tapes? WHY, exactly? He knew that she couldn't sit still for very long. Of course, Evil One was out doing "things" that when Izzy had cross-checked hadn't shown up, meaning that whatever he was doing was entirely his own, and not Max's at all. Because that's just what they needed. Another agenda. Yeah. It was already complicated enough.

Izzy sighed as she reviewed the footage of various resistance fights. The massacre at the rally. The assault on their base. The mysterious bombing that no one was taking responsibility for. Seriously. There was nothing new happening here. Nothing to see. Nothing that could be determined. She recalled her conversation with Noah. And then the benefactor. But concentration eluded her. Every time she tried to focus in on something she would inevitably be distracted by something else–

–hey what are those words on the resistances' weapons? Those seem cool. Izzy narrowed her eyes, shoving some popcorn in her mouth as she attempted to zoom in the image only to find that it wasn't nearly as easy as Hollywood made it appear. It just made it very, very blurry. Scowling and cursing nonsense, Izzy fiddled around with it, trying to figure out what it said but in reality only making it worse.

"Stupid lousy thing..."

Quickly, Izzy zoomed out and tried to read it from a distance. She managed to make out several possibilities at a moderate rate, and she sighed as she wrote down possibilities. Boring, MENIAL work, not suited to her at all. But it was better than being angry at Max. She'd have to let him know sooner or later, and for now it would have to be later.

And then realized that only one of them was viable.

_Signal Industries._

"Oh shit..." she said, scratching her hair anxiously before backing up. This wasn't good. Not good at all.

Confronting Max would have to wait.

* * *

"I must say, I appreciate the gesture of a dinner, Max. Considering our contract we should probably have meetings more often just to catch up."

Max had installed a diner into the ETOD so that he could get greasy food whenever he felt like it. It was his go-to when discussing important deals because it put him in a position of power over whoever was sitting with him at the time. It felt good to be able to eat like a pig with no consequence. Any criticism of table manners would lead to their untimely departure from the building. The guards positioned throughout would make sure of that.

Alejandro was slightly different in that for once Max actually wanted something from him that wasn't weapons. He'd been mulling over his very brief discourse with Heather all that time ago. After looking into the matter Heather had been Alejandro's right-hand woman for some time since the start of Signal Industries. Obviously something had happened.

The question was what it was that had happened.

Max smiled. "I see you're not eating your food."

"Greasy foods don't sit well with me," Alejandro apologized, eating a stray fry. "But I do appreciate the gesture regardless. You just wanted to talk?"

Max nodded. "Indeed. Being ruler of the world means nothing if you can't talk with other people! AH HA HA HA! So how are you doing?"

Alejandro leaned back comfortably. "Decent. I appreciate the deal you made. I'm worried about the resistance personally. They seem to be whipping people into a frenzy."

Max curled his fists. "Indeed...I'll stamp them out, all right." At the back of his mind he remembered the bombing against them that he had not ordered, and how he'd received no reports from Dave about who could have caused it.

He'd have to end up using the grease gun on him sooner or later.

Alejandro laughed. "I'm sure you will, friend. So." Alejandro folded his arms. "Why is it that you really brought me here?"

"Huh?"

"This wasn't just a regular chat Max. I'm not a fool. What is it?"

Max gripped his chair tightly, biting his lip. "I see you've seen right through me. Very well. I brought you here for a reason."

"And that reason is..."

Max glared at the Spaniard. "Izzy looked at the security tapes at my command to see if I'd missed something. SOMEHOW, I had! The resistance was using Signal Industries weapons. Explain yourself. Now. OR ELSE."

Alejandro's eyes widened in shock. His face blanched. "Oh no..." he muttered, holding a hand to his stomach.

Max clutched his death ray tightly, prepared to end him at a moment's notice. "Well? I'm listening."

"I can't believe...she actually.." Alejandro's eyes flitted around nervously. "Oh dear...oh dear oh dear this is not good."

"WHAT isn't?"

"I told you the last time we met that a personal matter had befell me, no?" Alejandro asked rhetorically, seeming on the verge of panic.

Max nodded, bringing out his death ray. "Yes. I was too busy with other things to care."

Alejandro sighed deeply, looking at the ground, then at Max. "You saw Heather at that party, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

Alejandro gripped the table nervously. "Well...we'd started out Signal Industries as a way to get rich. We were some of the few not to get swept up when you started your campaign. Then you approached us, and we were offered a lot of money for our troubles. We sided with you and we ended up making the right decision, considering we're both sitting here and now."

"But Heather didn't want to play second fiddle to you. She deemed you a delusional moron. She didn't want to supply weapons to you just so you could go kill everyone! Somehow, _somehow _the two of us got into a debate over morals," Alejandro laughed without humor, looking down at the floor. "I went for the money, she went for pragmatism. She left. Stole at least a quarter of my company's funds and weapons and left me. She said she'd been talking to a charismatic businessman who was aiming to start a resistance but had lost most of his funding during your conquest."

Max's eyes widened. "And that's how they got those weapons then..."

Alejandro nodded grimly. "I understand if you don't believe me."

Max sniffed. "I don't entirely. But it's plausible. I'll send out someone to find her and see if we can confirm the story. But as of right now consider yourself suspect for treason against the great and powerful Max!"

"Yeah yeah," Alejandro deadpanned, holding out his hands. "You can handcuff me if you want."

Max nodded. "Very well. Guards!"

Several soldiers walked up. "Take this man into custody! Do not harm him...for now!"

Alejandro smiled. "You won't regret this."

Suddenly, a screeching sound filled the air, coming through the headsets. Max and his guards placed their hands to their ears.

"Owwwww! What was that?" Max whined.

The sound of an alarm filled the air. Blaring horns nearly punctured their eardrums and red lights flashed.

"What's going on?" Alejandro asked anxiously.

Max's stomach dropped.

There was only one possible explanation.

"Oh no..."

* * *

For over a month Scarlett had been imprisoned. For over a month she had been deprived of basic needs such as food and water. For over a month she had been subject to the whim of a tyrant to the point that she could no longer stand.

The month had taken its toll on her mind. The bloodlust strengthened, the rationality weakened. The animal inside the cage was mortifying and the only person who dared approach her anymore was Morris, every time offering to give her more if she'd sleep with him for a night. It was boorish, stereotypical behavior and the bruises on her face multiplied every time she disobeyed. It hurt to talk. It hurt to move.

Scarlett lay on the ground, eyes staring vacantly ahead, seemingly disconnected from the world around her.

In reality, the gears of her mind were turning once more.

She would get out if it was the last thing she ever did.

A raw determination lining her features, she pushed herself off the ground, arms shaking as she clutched the wall in support. Slowly, she tried to stand on her feet, nearly falling over from fatigue and malnourishment. Everything hurt, but she did not fall. She leaned against the wall for support as she stood for the first time in what felt like years. For all she knew it might actually have _been _years.

A deep breath, in and out. Scarlett pushed herself off the wall, teetering as she tried to maintain her balance. A stumble, but she quickly corrected herself and held her arms out in front of her. She blew a lock of thick, dampened hair out of her eyes as a smile formed to her face. A laugh escaped her, not a psychotic cackle, but an astonished, delighted laugh.

She could walk again.

"I don't believe it," she rasped, laughing as joyfully as she could given the circumstances. "I...I can..." She held her arms outstretched and her smile widened.

Reinvigorated, the rest of the plan slowly began falling into place.

Slowly, Scarlett sat down on the ground, crossing her legs into a lotus position and closing her eyes. All that needed to be done was wait. It was a simple solution. How had she not seen it before? Perhaps that had been the point, to rob her of her rationality before she could devise a method of escape. It'd worked for a time.

But not now.

Thirty minutes passed, and Scarlett remained tranquil and placid as ever. It didn't seem as though she ever could have broken down into a raving, drooling maniac. But as the door slid open, revealing the asshole on the other side, Scarlett had to mentally restrain herself from trying to claw him across the throat with her fingernails. No, this would require more subtlety than that.

"Your lunch," Morris yawned, sliding the tray towards her. Scarlett tilted her head reptilianly before relaxing her straight-backed posture into a more cool, seductive pose.

She didn't eat the food. Morris scrunched his eyebrows and moved closer. "Well? You gonna eat?"

"I've been thinking it over," Scarlett replied, trying to make her voice sound like she'd actually been using it lately. "I've decided." Slowly, Scarlett rose to her feet, walking towards him with a smirk, brushing her hand along his back as she stood in front of him, capable of walking. "I decided that it was worth it."

Morris looked confused for a moment before a lecherous grin slowly stretched across his face. "I knew you'd come around." He sniffed deeply before gagging. "But, do you think you could take a shower beforehand? You smell like a hellhound–"

Perhaps it said something about his character that Morris did not resist and did not care about the stench as Scarlett forced her lips to his. Perhaps no one else had really taken him up on his offer. Perhaps he'd never actually been sexually active in the first place. Perhaps he was a desperate pathetic shade of a character that had only been hired for that specific reason–as an obligation to every terrible villain cliche in existence.

And it was for this reason as the two stood, that Scarlett slipped her hand to his waist, finding the device that controlled the shock collar, and flipped the switch.

The collar detached from her neck.

With a single, forceful, motion, Scarlett broke away, a look of utter disgust on her face as she jammed the shock collar onto her captor's neck.

Quickly, Scarlett snatched the shock collar device and with nonchalant glee immediately cranked up the device. Morris screamed in agony as electricity cranked through his body as Scarlett began to laugh, a manic grin on her face as she slowly twisted her thumb bit by bit, savoring his agony. With a quick kick, she knocked his receiver away and marveled that Max had not put security cameras in. True, the first time he'd tried that she'd dismantled it and tried to turn it into an EMP, but he still should have found a better way.

Well, it was too late now.

"You're honestly one of the most moronic people I've ever met," Scarlett said calmly, observing as Morris convulsed on the ground, shrieking in agony. "Worse than Max, probably. He at the very least had initiative. You...I don't even know what you are. You aren't talented. You aren't charismatic."

Another twist of her pointer finger and thumb and Morris's garbled screams grew even louder. Scarlett watched in barely contained glee. "You don't even have ambition. You're content just hurting people when it would be more beneficial to be kind. You're an ignoramus."

Slowly, she moved closer to him. The dial pointed at the highest yellow she can go. With a cackle, Scarlett sent it into the red.

"I WARNED you! I TOLD you that treating me like this would just give me more reason to kill you once I'd escaped! And now you're reaping your reward!"

"The reason it took me so long to figure this out? It's because I have self-respect, don't I? My IQ is probably quintuple your age. I tried to organize an escape time and time again and despite my intellect it never worked. Why?" Scarlett looked down into Morris's terrified eyes.

"Because the answer had been right in front of me the entire time. I had to bring myself down to your level in order to escape. Take pride in that, fool. Because I'm never using my fucking gender as leverage _ever again."_

With no remorse, Scarlett turned the dial as high as it could go, until finally Morris stopped convulsing.

Scarlett turned the device down to zero and observed her guard's smoking corpse, burnt and broken.

She spit on it.

Swaying slightly with a mixture of fatigue and jubilant exhilaration, Scarlett picked up the receiver, squinting every now and then as she turned to the exit, and would be incapable of seeing anything were a guard to come in. She bemoaned her broken glasses.

Calmly, she rewired it as she had the security cameras so long ago, fingers shaking with the prospect of freedom.

Moving quickly, Scarlett picked up Morris's gun and ID card and held it in her gaunt hands, opening the door quickly. Three guards stood outside in the doorway–two with helmets on, one without. Scarlett squinted in order to see them better. Before any of them could react Scarlett pressed two wires together, sending a screeching sound throughout every headset in the facility and shorting out the security cameras in that hallway alone.

The three guards covered their ears, screaming.

Calmly, Scarlett held up the gun and fired twice into two of the guards, head-shotting both of them and sending them splattering to the ground.

She turned the gun to the third, non-helmeted guard–a small woman wearing glasses.

"You!" Scarlett barked, training her gun on the shaking guard, who dropped her gun to the floor.

"W-what?" she asked, voice cracking.

"Are you nearsighted?"

"Y-yes?" the woman replied, terrified out of her wits.

With no hesitation, Scarlett fired, sending the guard tumbling backwards into the wall, bleeding from the chest.

As the psychopath walked on by, she stopped momentarily to nab the glasses, nodding in satisfaction before continuing on.

The more she walked, the easier it became. The alarm was triggered by now. She didn't have much time. Scarlett attempted to recall the layout of the tower from when she'd been escorted down there. To her irritation, the isolation from all forms of human contact had not done wonders for her usually impeccable memory.

They would expect her to break for the elevator. They would attempt to cut her off by any means necessary.

But she smirked as she remembered the one major flaw that Max's soldiers and guards had that would allow her to be able to escape.

Max's insistence on deferring to evil overlord tradition would prove to be his undoing once again, it seemed.

She turned around, momentarily pouting at the fact that her cool and badass moment had been ruined by having to go back where she'd come from. But no matter. What was done was done and no one could look cool all the time–look at Max.

Aware that she'd soon be swarmed by men with deadly firearms, she decided to gamble that the other guards were just as dim as Morris had been. If Max had decided to break from tradition, or if Dave had forced him to consider other options, she was screwed.

Quickly, she took the helmet off of the first guard she'd killed, placing it on her head before pressing a button on the armor that caused it to separate from the corpse.

The armor was about her size and shape, a little large, but usable.

Scarlett rolled the corpse out of the armor, trying to avoid leaving a blood trail, and into her former cage before closing all three doors.

The sound of voices could be heard. Scarlett cursed.

Quickly, she sprinted to the armor and with a deep breath, locked it in, sealing herself inside.

She slumped against the wall, playing dead. The gun was in a position where if they noticed her she'd be able to fire before they could react, but still far away enough to not look suspicious.

The guards ran in, guns raised. "Where is she?" one asked, examining dead bodies. Scarlett's helmet remained on. At least ten guards were there to prevent her from escaping. Scarlett remained calculating under her helmet as they started opening the three sets of doors Max had put between her and the rest of the facility.

"Did she stay in there?" one guard asked. "Morris wasn't picking up."

"Good," the other said. "That asshole gave me the creeps. Maybe we should thank her, huh?"

"And then have her kill us? No thanks. WHY were we assigned to this again? I thought that's why we kept that Matheson guy around."

"Matheson gives me the creeps too. He doesn't have any loyalty to Max. Just that Dave guy."

"What was Dave's position again?"

The final door opened and the guards stepped inside, seeing the two corpses on the ground. "Wait..." one guard said, turning back around to look at the armored person who had nearly left. "I thought that was..."

The corpse was gone.

"FUCK, SHE'S GETTING AWAY!" the lead guard said, running back. "ALL TROOPS CUT HER OFF! DON'T LET HER ESCAPE! SHE'S ONE OF US, USE YOUR SCANNERS, REPEAT, _USE YOUR SCANNERS!"_

Scarlett had already fallen into a squadron of guards before that transmission had been sent out. The men stopped moving as the lead guard prepared to scan each of them for DNA verification.

As luck would have it, they'd stopped right by the elevator.

"Charles Dawson, check. Larry Isaacs, check–wait, Larry? Ha ha, who names their kid Larry anymore? That's hilarious. Anyway, next–"

Scarlett took a deep breath, and broke into a sprint as the elevator door opened with soldiers inside. The idiots hadn't removed their headsets the first time so Scarlett pulled the same trick again, causing all of them to hold their hands to their ears in pain.

As the soldiers outside started firing, it was all it took to accidentally take down the team in the elevator.

Fortunately, the emp hadn't worked on the elevator due to a different kind of wiring Max had installed. The one time he'd been smart he'd screwed it all up.

The doors closed and with a grateful sigh Scarlett slumped to the ground as she shot up. They expected her to exit through the lobby. Well, she could try to play dead again but she had a feeling that the same trick wouldn't work twice. Well, the emp trick had worked twice but that was only because they hadn't known how it operated at the time.

Scarlett kept the helmet and armor on, just in case. For armor it wasn't all that effective. That suggested that it was fairly cheap. She wondered who made the armor. She'd either have to thank them or kill them for making them so easy to pierce.

The elevator sped up as she recalled the floor with the helicopter pad and pressed the respective button. She searched the guards for a cell phone, eventually finding one. She wiped off a few messages–apparently this particular guard was having a tough time with his girlfriend (tragedy, really). No matter. She'd need to make a call soon enough. Morris had brought in a newspaper whose editor had been convicted of treason–it had encoded secret messages revealing rally locations and phone numbers to call. Scarlett had spent five days repeating the number under her breath, and now was her chance to use it.

Sighing deeply, Scarlett took off the helmet, letting her hair free. She'd have to shower after this was done. She did have to admit–she did smell and rather look like a hellhound. That much was true.

The door opened. No guards.

So it was true. They hadn't been expecting her to come up here.

And would you look at that? There was a helicopter waiting for her.

Scarlett walked out onto the roof. The sun shone down through the clouds, warming her face for the first time in what felt like decades. She closed her eyes for a moment, soaking it in as tears started falling down her cheeks. The warmth beat down upon her and she laughed.

But it wasn't time to rejoice just yet.

Scarlett ran for the helicopter, running up alongside it and nearly giggling with excitement as her hands shook.

"I knocked out the pilot for you. Your records show that piloting is another expertise of yours."

Screeching, Scarlett turned around and held her gun at the source.

Indian skin. Short stature. Large forehead.

"Noah, is it?" Scarlett asked, aiming her gun. "I saw you once before I was sent to my cell. Chatting with Dave. I deduced quite a while ago that Max was never actually in charge of this operation, and I have a fairly good idea who–"

"Cut to the chase," Noah replied irritably, holding his hands in the air. "I won't stop you from leaving."

"You put a bug on it," Scarlett spit bluntly. "I know you did."

"Wow, paranoid much?" Noah scoffed. "I knocked out the guard. If I wanted to keep you here, I'd have distracted you and then used this tazer that I'm about to drop on the ground to paralyze you."

True to his word, Noah picked out a tazer and dropped it on the ground. Scarlett noted that whereas the last time he'd had an earpiece, now he was without one.

"Why?"

The smartass snorted. "Why? Because I'm curious. Because I admire your efforts in breaking out of Max's control. Because I'm curious to see what you'd do."

"Wouldn't your...employer be mad about that?"

Noah shrugged. "Does it look like I care? It'll make things more interesting and that's all that matters. I'm not Max's biggest fan, and I know that you aren't either."

Noah turned around and started walking away. Scarlett narrowed her eyes. "What's your game?"

"You flatter me," Noah said without looking at her. "In this game, I'm not even a pawn."

With that, he was gone. Hesitantly, Scarlett climbed into the helicopter, the controls slowly coming back to her as the blades whirred to life.

The door to the roof burst open and she could see Max, Dave, and his more competent soldiers coming up, ready to apprehend her.

Suckers.

The helicopter rose up and Scarlett let out one final cheer, grinning from ear to ear in triumphant freedom. Max stood, gaping open-mouthed as Scarlett steered the helicopter away from the ETOD, away from Gotham, away from _Max._

And towards her new life of freedom.

Scarlett held up the phone and punched in the number. She held it up to her ear, waiting expectantly. Perhaps the line was too old. Maybe this was fruitless.

On the fifth ring, someone picked up.

_"Hello?"_

"I read the paper today," Scarlett responded. "I hear a storm is coming."

It was quiet for a few moments before the person on the other end responded. _"Okay. What's your name, sweetheart? And what's that noise anyway?"  
_

"My name is Scarlett Vivianne, and up until about an hour ago I was one of Max's top security prisoners. I hear you're a resistance, huh? I am interested in providing my services to you, and I expect nothing in return except the satisfaction of bringing that tyrant to his knees. Contact me at this number whenever you can and we'll arrange a meeting." She grinned.

Once again, it was quiet. _"...very well. We'll see what we can do about that. Nice to meet you, Scarlett!"_

"Indeed it is," Scarlett laughed cheerfully. "See you soon."

As she hung up, her grip tightened on the controls.

A feeling of gleeful anticipation filled her.

She could do whatever she wanted now.

And now–there was _no one _who could stand in her way.

* * *

"Oh no, this is bad, this is very very bad..."

Dave paced around nervously around the empty break room, nearly tearing his hair out at the prospect of Scarlett's escape. Noah lounged, reading his usual book. "What if this is the last straw? What if–what if this just proves that I'm not good enough? Ohhhh, I can't be dealing with this right now...I feel so disappointed in myself." Dave shook Noah's shoulders, looking at him pitifully. "This isn't my fault, right? I ordered the bombing! I'm valuable! I can't be held responsible here, can I? I-I'm not the reason she managed to escape, right?"

"Relax," Noah said bluntly. "I know that you fear the boss's disappointment more than death, but this is ridiculous." The schemer leaned forward coolly, gazing calmly at Dave. "The longer we run this job, the more likely it is for it to succeed. I remember when we first started and you freaked out about every single little thing. You want approval so bad that anything other than it makes you a nervous wreck."

Dave exhaled, stopping in his tracks and sitting down. "I guess so. And I guess...it doesn't really matter whether she was imprisoned or not, right?"

Noah nodded, and smiled at Dave. "You did nothing wrong this time. You don't have to worry about anything."

"How can you be so calm about this?" Dave asked. "I don't get it."

"The first thing that you have to realize in order to be calm," Noah sighed, putting his hands behind his head, "is that no matter what choice you make, nothing matters in the end. Once you accept this fact it's fairly easy to be calm."

An awkward silence took hold of the room for about thirty seconds before Dave laughed. "Wow. I knew you were a cynic, but this nihilism thing's pretty new."

"Meh," Noah responded flatly. "It helps to be dead inside, I guess. You don't have to feel guilty about anything."

Dave laughed. "Why would I feel guilt? Except for disappointing the boss, I can't think of anything."

"Well, how about the deaths of millions of people?"

Dave scratched his chin, contemplating. "Eh," he said, making a "so-so" sign with his hand. "I guess. But regardless we SHOULD start speeding things up."

Noah nodded. "Agreed. It's been more than enough time. Once we start we can finally stop having to talk so cryptically and be able to speak our minds."

Dave chuckled at this. "Agreed..." He rose to his feet. "I'm gonna leave now. Have fun doing nothing."

"You too," Noah laughed as Dave left the room, smiling widely.

As soon as Dave left the room, the smile dropped.

Noah sat up, and holding a pen in his hand, started writing.

Dave was hopelessly obedient. Matheson was a trained killer. Max was an incompetent moron who didn't realize how out of his depth he was.

He curled his fists as anger surged through him–anger for Owen, anger that he could do nothing right now, anger that Dave was a tool with no free will, anger that all his friends were either dead or dying.

Because if Max and his friends couldn't uncover the full plan in time.

If the plan proceeded as it had been laid out a decade ago without a hitch.

If Noah couldn't help the others figure out that there was something bigger lurking underneath Max's ascension to the throne.

Then society wouldn't be the only thing at stake.

The world as we knew it would change forever.

And there was no way in _hell _that he'd let that happen.

* * *

**END OF ACT I**


	11. Chapter 11: Cog

**Hey all! I'm sorry for the leave of absence on my account for a while! End of year shenanigans and all. I should be back to a regular update schedule for all of my fics. As a matter of fact, it'll probably take less time than usual because SUMMER'S JUST ABOUT HERE! :D**

**Now then. I'm sure you're all eager to get back to the marvelous misadventures of Max, Izzy, Evil One, and *squints eyes* Prick? Oh, never mind, it's just Dave, ha ha. Anyway, Act 2 of this story begins NOW. It's gonna be EPIC.**

* * *

**Act II**

A week had passed since Scarlett's shockingly easy escape from the ETOD itself, and there had been absolutely no sighting of her. While the public was not made aware that there was a murderous psychopath on the loose, but police and military forces were notified. Drones patrolled the entirety of Max's dominion, attempting to track her DNA. Strangely, they found nothing of the sort. Max was growing frustrated, but it didn't really concern Dave, Noah, or Matheson all that much. They each deemed themselves too valuable to be the victim of one of Max's tantrums.

Dave stared out the window of the ETOD in Max's empty throne room, heart beating rapidly as he went over scenario after scenario in his head where everything came crashing down and the blame solely rested at his feet.

Max currently had decided that it would be best to organize the search for Scarlett himself. Several glimpses of her had been spotted, but the drones sent after her had been reprogrammed to kill police or military officers before self-destructing. Her body count at the moment was thirty-three. Thirty-four including Morris. Max had been on the verge of firing the sadistic security guard anyway. Neither Evil One nor Izzy had liked the man one bit.

What perplexed Dave the most was how suddenly Max had started developing some form of conscience. Why should he start feeling bad _now? _After he'd come this far? Dave sighed and shook his head. Pathetic. Utterly pathetic.

"Sir."

Dave turned to see Matheson's bulky figure standing before him. The assassin walked up besides his direct employer and joined him in looking out the window.

"Matheson, always a pleasure," Dave yawned. "How goes the hunt for Scarlett?"

"You know as well as I do that it doesn't matter either way," Matheson said bluntly, staring Dave in the eyes. "But I'd like to ask you a question."

Dave groaned, waving his hand around. "I don't like being questioned. But because you DON'T usually ask questions I think I could make an exception this time around."

Matheson nodded. "Noah's been shifty lately. Why do you trust him?"

Dave furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't follow."

The assassin looked a little bewildered at this. "Sir, I follow all orders I'm given. I'm here because I get paid. Nothing more. Why do you trust him?" He folded his arms menacingly. "Or, better yet, why do you put up with him? Or any of this? Why are YOU here?"

"This is out of nowhere," Dave commented, an acidic tone to his voice. "You been keeping all these questions bottled up? Above your pay grade. You don't ask questions, got it, Max?"

It was quiet for a moment before Matheson replied confusedly. "Uh, my name is Matheson."

Dave tore at his hair in frustration. "Ugggh! There are so many 'M' names for me to keep track of! Max, Matheson, Moreau, Marcus, Morris! Man, I don't get it! I'm sorry, Malthesar."

"Matheson," the assailant replied irritably. "Where'd you even get 'Malthesar' from anyway?"

"It doesn't matter," Dave growled.

"Sir, I just want to know how to do my job effectively," Matheson protested.

Dave scowled and turned to the taller man, glaring up at him. "Well, in that case!" He shoved Matheson backwards slightly. "You do as I say, and you don't ask personal shit! We have a JOB to do, and we should be proud of it!" Matheson stepped back. Dave advanced, emphasizing his points with pokes and shoves. "Not asking stupid, irrelevant questions that don't contribute to your mission! Is that ALL that you're here for?"

"Sir, I saw Noah speaking to someone and I thought I should report–"

"I DON'T CARE!" Dave yelled, his voice cracking. He paused in embarrassment before continuing. "What I mean is...Noah does a lot of things that I don't care about. He speaks more with the people. Keeps his ears to the ground. I trust him."

"I'm not sure if you should–"

Dave groaned. "Just...just LEAVE, okay? GO AWAY! Go...kill someone, I don't care."

Matheson rumbled with anger, curling his fists.

But he turned around and left.

Dave sat down, griping under his breath. "Stupid dumbass. Should know his place. Oh well. _He'll _see what's really going on here soon enough."

Grinning maniacally, Dave pulled out a tablet, pulling up a network of data, statistics, and gambits. Dave swiped his finger across the screen.

"They'll _all_ see."

* * *

Max found that traveling incognito was a lot easier when you didn't show your flamboyant purple hair in public and kept your pasty skin covered at all times. And when you didn't use Groucho glasses.

He also found that using fairly normal clothing was a good way to avoid suspicion. Another time he would have demanded that the very same people he walked among kneel before him. He would concoct a grandiose spectacle over the most trivial of things. He'd once commemorated a bottle of suntan lotion for God's sake.

But ever since Scarlett had escaped, he kept flashing back to some of the conversations they'd had. Scarlett had expressed disdain towards him and his style of rule. Max had merely brushed it off at the time. But as he walked through the streets, completely invisible to all around him, he began to see some of the issues that Scarlett, Moreau, and Izzy had tried to get him to notice. He still didn't feel all that guilty about taking over the world. Or for exerting his will over the populace.

But he made a mental note to himself to change his policies to be more open and more free. To supply for the people who had nothing. And to look into the radiation problem.

_The people may have a responsibility to you, but as a result you also have a responsibility for the people._

Max sat down at an outside table, examining the stormy skies over Gotham/New York City. He looked around at the people living their day to day lives. Nothing outwardly seemed wrong but he could smell the tension in the air like a lightning bolt had just come down and struck the earth in front of him.

After half an hour of people watching, he rose to his feet and walked back to the ETOD. All anyone saw was a short, nondescript gnome of a man.

It was a somewhat out of body experience for him. Surreal, to not have all the attention focused on him.

A stranger bumped into him and Max turned. "Watch where you're..." he began, before observing the brute of a man looking down at him. Max gulped and continued onward.

As he entered the ETOD, he slipped into the elevator and returned to his personal quarters.

Within five minutes, he exit into the halls with his usual extravagant choice of apparel, smirking confidently. The all-powerful dictator was back.

He adjusted his watch, sorting through all the verbal orders he had put in, muttering to himself. Sometimes it was hard to keep track of those stupid drones. Ah well. Quickly, Max sent out several orders–to start handing out food to people in the cities. The provisions would have to be slow but steady until Max could talk his regular soldiers into supplying the populace as well.

His tinkering was interrupted by the sound of loud whispers from down the hall. Out of instinct, Max opened the door to a broom closet and shut himself in. The light peeking out from under the door was interrupted by what appeared to be two shadows.

"Look, we have to be discreet about this, you can't just go around being so...flashy."

"Flashy? Ha! You really DON'T know me!"

Max put his ear against the door. The first voice was male, but he couldn't place whether he knew the person. The second one was female. Probably Izzy. Max stroked his chin, which with his ear against the door was quite an interesting sight.

The male figure shushed Izzy. "You understand that I'm not supposed to be doing this, right? That I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut about all of this. But I'm not going to sit around and watch everything fall apart."

"Why can't you tell me _exactly _what's going on here, you don't have your earpiece in–"

"I can't tell you because I don't KNOW everything, got it? And because if I tried to tell you everything, they'd kill me, and _then _where would we be?"

"So you want me to risk my neck instead?"

"You seemed perfectly fine with this before," the male voice said dangerously. Max gulped. Something was going on. He'd have to have a chat with Izzy after this was over.

It was quiet for a few moments. Then another few moments. The male voice spoke up again. "Hey." Several finger snaps could be heard. "Hey, Izzy. Are you listening to me?"

"What? Oh. Oh, uh...sorry. Kinda spaced out there. Sooooorry."

"No you're not! Listen, okay? Dave has most of the answers. Everything is compartmentalized. If you want to tear this conspiracy apart, I can only guide you tangentially."

"Wha?"

"Indirectly. Now you can't just go kidnap Dave and demand information. Matheson would kill you and dump your body in a sewer without a second thought. No, I'm going to need to convince Dave to lessen security on the bunker. Again, everything is hidden in different spots throughout multiple countries and continents. You're going to be able to do this alone. I might convince Dave to give me the locations of where particular data is being held, but I can only drop the guard levels there so much before I come under suspicion."

Izzy sighed. "Look, Noah..." Max jumped slightly, grazing his foot against the wall and stubbing his toe. He bit down on his lip to prevent himself from crying.

"If you give me a plan, I'm probably just going to try to blow the place up with dynamite. More fun that way, ya know?" A slightly crazy laugh at this, but it cut out shortly, as if it weren't sincere. "But...I don't think I can do this on my own."

"Well?" the voice, whom Max could now identify as Noah asked sardonically. "Who else can you trust?"

It was silent for a few moments before Izzy reluctantly responded. "No one, really. I'm used to just doin' what I say I'm gonna do, not all this crazy-ass two-timing bullshit. Y'all need to just sit down in a room together and speak honestly. Then you can try to kill each other!"

"There are a lot of conflicting agendas here," Noah conceded. "And I know it's hard to trust people. But I'd like you to find someone who is capable of helping you do this, who can keep their mouth _shut_ and genuinely wants the best for this world."

Izzy responded. "Okay then. I'll talk to you later. Banzai!" The two shadows walked away in separate directions. Max exhaled deeply, then noted with surprise that he hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath.

"What are you up to..." Max murmured, opening the door to the closet and stepping back out into the open. He returned to his throne room, pondering what he'd just witnessed.

Would Izzy betray him? Maybe. She was somewhat insane, after all. Noah wasn't the most trustworthy person on the block either. But Max couldn't help but feel lioke something bigger was going on. That it wasn't him they were after.

Max sighed, sinking into his throne. He pulled out a tablet and adjusted it so he was viewing the security cameras.

Evil One was walking back into the lobby after his unannounced week-long break. Izzy was back to cartwheeling down the stairs. Dave was furiously scrubbing his hands in the women's restroom for some reason. Ew. Max didn't want to know. Alejandro was sitting tranquil in his temporary prison, merely waiting until Max could find the time to actually discuss in depth whether his story was believable or not. Noah was sitting down and reading, and if Max just hadn't witnessed Noah and Izzy's conversation he'd find it hard to believe that the bookworm hadn't been there all day.

It seemed weird to him that everyone in this building was all connected in some way.

He drummed his fingers against his armrest nervously.

There was quite the web to unravel.

He'd best get right on it.

* * *

The room was nicer than Scarlett had anticipated.

While not luxurious and extravagant like most upper class attractions, it boasted television _not _censored by Max's goons, a comfortable full-sized bed, microwavable food, a decent bathroom that actually had hot water for showers, and of course, knives that were probably meant for cutting meat but were instead probably going to be used for slicing people open and murdering them.

This is, after all, Scarlett we're talking about here. I'm not sure what you were expecting.

The shower had been heavenly. Cleaning out the stench of months of torture and agony was very pleasing. Despite the immature childishness of it, she scrubbed out her tongue for at least five minutes from when she had been forced to kiss Morris in order to escape.

Her hair was clean. Her body odor was gone. Her glasses worked perfectly.

Her smiled stretched her skin like wax as she pulled up her hair into her usual bun. She felt clean for the first time since she'd first been captured by Max's goons.

She'd really have to thank the resistance for doing all this for her.

A snarl escaped her stomach. Scarlett sighed as she examined her skin and bones physique. When she'd first arrived, Darren Moreau had sized her up, looked at her midsection. Scarlett had fully been prepared for a lecherous comment, but had been surprised when all the disfigured businessman had said was that he'd arrange a large dinner for her, and that he was incredibly sorry she'd had to go through all that shit because of Max.

It had been a pleasant surprise.

Scarlett wore rather drab clothing. Casual gray clothes, yet practical enough that she could still stab a person need be. She'd never had a taste for fashion and she knew it. Perhaps everyone else would be all dolled up tonight.

Not Scarlett. To her, this was merely an opportunity to find out the inner workings of this resistance and figure out how to get her footing in it.

Her stomach growled, as if to remind her.

Oh, and also to wolf down food to her heart's content.

A knock on the door and she could hear her former enemy's voice coming through. "Are you ready? We're ready to talk!"

"Of course, Sky," Scarlett called, walking towards the door. She opened it an observed the decade-older gymnast-turned-soldier before her. The two glanced each other over, as if they were both sizing up if they could kill the other without anyone else ever knowing.

Sky gestured to the gun at her belt. "You're lucky we managed to rent out this place," she said. "Otherwise your welcome meal might have been rats or something."

The two began walking towards the dining hall. Scarlett smirked. "By rent out, do you mean take over?"

"Hotel California," as it was called, was actually one of Max's smaller bases near Seoul. Nowhere near California at all. Max had built the hotel on top of the military bunker because he liked the city, which had remained remarkably untouched by the war and nuclear strikes. It was his place to vacation without having to worry about assassination attempts, as every worker in the building was proficient in military training. It had taken time, but Moreau had personally ensured that the base be taken.

Marcus had expressed disapproval that Moreau had only chosen the spot due to its luxury. Sky personally didn't see the problem with it though.

Sky snorted. "I guess. These people had it coming. They throw their lot in with Max, they'd better expect to get their karma in the end."

"Do you think I should get karma for what I did, years ago?" Scarlett asked, a note of passive aggressive amusement in her voice.

Sky bit her lip, putting her hand to her gun. "I don't trust you. At all. You're just as evil if not more than Max."

"So black and white..." Scarlett mused, changing her stance so that it was more casual. "'Evil' is a word thrown around by people who can't see the bigger picture. If you happen to disagree in morals? They're evil. It's moral absolutism at its finest."

"You tried to _kill _us," Sky repeated. "How is that not evil? Also, I watched the recordings, you actually _said _you were evil. To MAX!"

Scarlett smirked. "How else to strike fear into his heart than give him what he thought he wanted? He wanted evil, _he got it. _But as of now?" Scarlett slowed her walk slightly, forcing Sky to adjust her stride. "You don't have to trust me. Just trust my absolute hatred of Max and his regime."

The door opened and Scarlett's face lit up as she observed a wide array of food. Quickly, she took to her seat, and with no regard for manners began tearing at her steak, snarfing it down with a ravenous delight.

Within a few minutes, the entire steak was gone. Scarlett dabbed at the meat juices with her napkin before looking up at the people sitting at the table with her. Moreau was watching her with an indiscernible look on his face. Sky sat at his right, looking on with disgust. Marcus was trying not to pay attention. And sitting somewhat out of the way of everyone else was an Asian girl Scarlett recognized despite the decade-long absence as former Total Drama contestant Heather.

"I should be surprised," Scarlett said, gesturing to Heather, who glared at her. "But I've found that us Total Drama contestants have a great deal of ambition. Explains why I've run into so many of you lately."

"Thanks, I guess," Heather sneered. "I'm not really with them though. I just help fund them."

Moreau cleared his throat. "Heather here has supplied me with weapons only. I provided the soldiers. Believe it or not, this face is actually rather charismatic," he said self-deprecatingly, a slight chuckle entering his voice.

Scarlett faced Moreau, staring at him intently. "I hate Max just as much if not more than you. And, at the risk of sounding arrogant, I have an exceptionally high IQ. I feel as though I could be of service."

"I'm sure you would," Moreau said kindly. "It's just that your track record shows you to be...very unpredictable. How can we expect you to remain on our side?"

"The answer is simple," Scarlett responded. "You can't. I am completely untrustworthy. But I also have a personal understanding of Max, an ability to create dangerous weapons, and overall strategy. If all goes well, I could probably turn away from you and let you rule when you succeed, as long as I have discretion to do as I please as long as it doesn't upset the order."

"I don't like your terms," Moreau snapped. "I understand that you can give us no guarantee that you won't turn on us." He pulled out a gun from underneath his suit jacket, although he hadn't chosen to aim it at her just yet. "But we've been doing pretty well as of late. And it might be better for us to just kill you now and take our chances, rather than trust an asset who–while valuable–would leave me to die with a knife in my back at the first opportunity."

"Until Max is dead you have my full support," Scarlett affirmed.

The gun was now pointed at her. Heather folded her arms, cautiously observing the situation. Scarlett didn't even flinch.

Moreau scoffed. "And after he's dead? You have ambition, same as the rest of us. You'd turn on us in a heartbeat."

"Would you really shoot me?" Scarlett asked calmly.

"Ask Max," was his cold response.

Scarlett looked up at the ceiling, where she found a video camera observing and recording every word. "You really do like to record things. Conversations. You like to analyze people, break them down. You know how to work people and you're frustrated that I'm not immediately folding to your will like most everyone here has already done."

For the first time since the beginning of the conversation, Moreau's confident mask slipped ever so slightly. He put the gun down. "So what? A leader has to be charismatic and know his men. And his enemies."

"You want to be remembered," Scarlett stated simply. "If you fail and die a horrible death, you want someone to eventually scavenge through your organization and find these tapes." She smiled wryly. "Make a documentary. Paint you out to be a hero. You want a _legacy."_

"Who wouldn't?" Moreau responded, his usual verbal edge dulled slightly. "No one wants to feel as though their life had no meaning."

"The difference between you and I," Scarlett yawned. "is that while I have goals, I don't care about public show. I don't care about leaving my own mark. All I care about is my own personal goals, and whether or not I reach them. Why haven't you sent assassins after Max yet?"

"Because that would only leave a power vacuum I'd be unable to fill," Moreau exclaimed, teeth grit. "I can't just _step in _to power!"

"Why not?" Scarlett asked. "If Max dies, he has no heir to the throne. All you'd have to do would be to step in and quell the riots. Make a few pretty speeches. Then make your changes. The people will love you...and the world will be yours."

The room was quiet. Moreau scowled, drumming his fingers against the handle of his steak knife. Marcus looked amused. Sky glanced worriedly back and forth. It was likely that she hadn't seen anyone so easily debate with Moreau and possibly come out on top. Heather yawned.

After about ten seconds of silence, Moreau let out a low noise in his throat. "Very well. We have an assassin on deck who would be more than happy to take him out. Max is careless enough that it should be easy. Sadly, it's too difficult for us to move troops in. Max amped up security. He'd have to be in on his own."

Scarlett smirked. "Very good. Who is he?"

"We call him the Butcher," Moreau responded. "I think he'll do nicely." He stared intensely at Scarlett. "You are dismissed. I hope you enjoyed your meal."

Scarlett rose, curtsied, and left the room.

Moreau turned to everyone else still inside. "You are all free to go as well."

Warily, Sky and Marcus stood and left.

Heather remained, filing away at her nails.

Moreau sighed deeply, slumping in his chair. "If you give Scarlett any weapons, I want you to lock it at all times unless she's going up against the enemy."

"You don't trust her?" Heather asked faux-casually.

"I'd rather just shoot her now," Moreau admitted. "She wants to wrestle control away from me. But she still could prove useful."

"Well, she has personal investment in the cause," Heather smirked. "Just like I do."

"You never tried to _kill _anyone."

Heather made a so-so sign. "That doesn't matter. I'd like to kill someone _now. _I want Max and Alejandro dead for what they did."

Moreau smirked. "You have standards, then."

Heather scoffed. "I competed to win a million dollars. _They_ committed a genocide worse than the Holocaust."

The businessman nodded. "True. But anyways. Back on topic. Scarlett must not be given _one inch _of freedom. I'm giving out the order tomorrow that if she's _anywhere _she's not supposed to be, shoot her on sight."

"Do you think she could undermine you?" Heather asked wryly.

A dark look passed across the visionary's face. "It's entirely possible," he spat. Stretching, he rose to his feet.

"But I plan to beat her to the punch."

And with that, Moreau picked up his gun and left the room.

* * *

**While this chapter is mostly talk, it is ALL setup for events to come. Thank you all for reading, and be sure to leave a review if you enjoyed it!**

**I'll see you all soon!**


	12. Chapter 12: Assailant

**Hey all! Out of curiosity, I'm gonna post a poll on my profile asking who your three favorite characters are in the fic. Won't affect anything, I'm just curious.**

* * *

Remaining focused on one task had never been Izzy's forte. Due to the sphere of wackiness surrounding her, she'd managed to get by into her young-adulthood basically out of random escapades. She'd found that if she stayed in the same place for too long people got sick of her. Sad truth of reality. Spontaneous bursts of energy and some degree of insanity might be charming at first but eventually wore thin for people.

But then again, there had never been anything of such severity as the situation she found herself in now. Not even when Max had first begun his campaign. Izzy had somewhat enjoyed the chaos of it all. She hadn't exactly grasped the seriousness of the events that were transpiring until long after the fact. Suddenly, everything was a clusterfuck of agendas and politics, and Max lay right in the middle of all of it. But not as a mastermind. No, he was probably the least proactive player on the field. And in some way, Izzy knew that everyone's plans centered around him.

The redheaded psychopath (not Scarlett, the other one-never mind) sat against the wall, constantly tapping and jerking her head around. Noah was asking too much of her. The job would require subtlety, and Izzy had just recently suggested to blow up the ETOD after Max complained about a pest problem.

How the hell was she supposed to unearth a conspiracy? Noah had said to get help. But as she racked through her addled brain over and over again, all she could find was untrustworthy person after untrustworthy person. Each with their own agenda or loyalty to someone else.

"Uhhh...what are you doing on the floor?"

Izzy jumped and hissed slightly before seeing the somewhat vacant features of Evil One looking down at her. Concerned, the follower sat down next to her. "What's going on?"

"Absolutely nothing, go back to doing...whatever it is that you do." Izzy paused, tapping her finger to her chin. "What exactly _do _you do, anyway? All you seem to do is just follow Max around and take his paperwork."

"What?" the minion responded. "I'm offended! I do more than that, you don't even know?"

"Hmmmmnn? Then what exactly IS it that you do! Sit around and play pool? You know, you kinda strike me as a smoocher type-"

"What? Ew! Max isn't my type!"

Izzy backpedaled a bit. "Nonono, not what I meant. I meant moocher. Not smoocher."

"Oh," Evil One responded, though he still looked at her funnily. "Uhhh...I guess I kinda do like this job because I don't get to do anything. But that's not really all it is. But what exactly are you doing here? I don't see you advise him all that often, and that's supposed to be _your _job. You tag along just as much as I do."

Izzy scratched at herself a bit. "I, uhhhh...I..."

Evil One's face was uncharacteristically shrewd. "You've been doing something Max wouldn't approve of."

"No!" Izzy protested. "I've just been being me and shit."

The minion gave her an unimpressed look. The girl sighed. "Alright, fine...I've been looking into the conspiracy behind Max's rise to power with the help of a friend. You gonna turn me in, yes-man?"

Evil One pursed his lips for a moment. "No."

"No?"

He shrugged. "No. Now that you've let me know that, I'm gonna go ahead and let you in on a secret of my own."

Izzy tensed. Evil One slumped back against the wall, took a deep breath, and began.

"My whole life I've been kind of a follower. Just kinda wandering behind people and letting them lead me around. As an adult, I kind of _was _a moocher. I'd find interesting people and latch onto them for a while." He gave Izzy a significant look. "Some of these people were dangerous people. I got money protecting them and helping them. It wasn't hard."

Izzy recalled Evil One being captured and coming back a day later, no worse for wear.

The moocher continued. "Marcus and I worked together on a few assignments. Max was originally just another temporary job. Marcus got sent to jail after a robbery attempt went wrong, but I..." Evil One gulped. "I stayed. I thought he was funny. And quirky. Then the world went to shit and he came out on top. And I knew that I was stuck with him.

"So I decided to make the best of it. I knew I had no chance of being a hero. They'd gun me down." Evil One looked at the ground. "So instead I decided to record everything I could. It's actually pretty easy because he gave me all his paperwork. His kill records, transit documents, all his files...over the years of his campaign I've written everything down in an archive I created in Toronto-which I just finished updating by the way-so that if someday this all explodes...people will find my archive and be able to tell what happened."

It was silent for a few moments. Izzy whistled. "So you're like the ultimate journalist."

"If you want to look at it like that, then yeah," Evil One shrugged. "I'm not working for anyone. I've just been observing everyone for a _long _time. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to pretend to be an annoying, one-note moron?"

"I can imagine," Izzy stuck her tongue out at him. "Have you actually heard anything about this conspiracy?"

The scrub shrugged. "Sadly, nothing about the benefactor. Only the orders they give, nothing baout their identity."

Izzy nodded absentmindedly. "So...what if I told you..." She trailed off.

Evil One narrowed his eyes. "Told me what?"

"...that there was a way for you to _actually _make a difference?"

"You don't think this is actually making a difference?" Evil One scowled, folding his arms. "I had to look at his _toilet seat records. _Do you have any idea how..." He moved his hands around for a bit, trying to find words. "_toilety _that was?"

"I'm sure that all the toilet seat records will someday be the most important thing to ever happen," Izzy replied, clapping him on the back. "But I'm trying to bring down the conspiracy. And you seem pretty capable, though you don't want to come off that way."

"Not all of it is an act," Evil One admitted. "I genuinely am pretty dumb. I just know how to weaponize it."

"Well, I need someone else to help me and I think you could do it. It wouldn't be anything yet. N-My friend still has to pull a few strings so it's easier for us to get into where we need to go. We need to find some records. If you want in, awesome! If not, well, I guess _someone _will care about your dusty old records."

Evil One remained quiet for a few moments. Finally, he turned to Izzy and shook her hand. "Deal. But no killing, okay?"

"Gotcha," Izzy saluted, and the two rose to their feet.

"Let's go fight the Illuminati!"

* * *

"Look Moreau, I don't think keeping her around is a good idea. She's dangerous."

Moreau lounged calmly in his chair, a cup of coffee in his hands. He'd had to smuggle it in per the norm. Limited resources meant limited coffee, and unless there was enough for everyone, it was better for Moreau to have it all to himself than try to divide it among everyone in the compound. Trivial fighting distracted from the united goal of freedom. Then, everyone could have coffee.

At least, that was Moreau's somewhat flawed reasoning for why he got coffee and everyone else didn't. This same reasoning actually applied to a lot of luxuries that the businessman had in his private quarters that no one else bar Heather knew about.

Moreau took a sip before responding to Heather. "Scarlett will turn on us in a flash if it suits her purposes. I'd shoot her right now but as of right now she has no reason to betray us. Her anger is at Max. It would only be logical to work with us. As cunning as she is, she isn't a one-woman-army."

Heather sat down across from him, a cup of water in her hands. "I'm not saying she's not useful. I'm saying that you shouldn't take the risk. You know that a lot of future problems could be avoided if you sneak into her room right now and put a bullet in her brain."

"The Butcher has yet to report back," Moreau countered. "He's made it to New York, ahem, _Gotham _alright. If it turns out he actually succeeds in killing Max and/or Alejandro, _which is unlikely,_ Scarlett would have been right. And then we'd have to dispose of her because we would be in power." Moreau took another sip. "She has to know this. In all likelihood she suggested this because she knew it would fail, and just wanted to test the waters of our partnership."

"You instructed the Butcher on what to do, not her," Heather sneered.

Moreau scoffed. "I told him to make it effective and brutal. But also fear-inducing, in case he survives. Max doesn't quite understand how powerful his enemies are." A grin broke out across his face, and he looked Heather right in the eye, making her shiver. "I intend to let him know _exactly _how powerful we are, while using the minimum amount of men for the job."

"What about the invasion?" Heather asked. "If you could just sneak men gradually into Gotham like you did with the mercenary-"

"Do you have any idea how difficult Max has made immigration?" Moreau asked. "The Butcher is in high demand because he can get everywhere legally. He's one of the few. Gotham is crazy about security, particularly after we managed to get a small team in there to relay the propaganda signal."

"Speaking of which," Heather yawned. "I do admire that you were willing to sacrifice men to get them in there. The bombing was a nice touch."

Moreau didn't respond for precisely two seconds. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said warily.

"Well? You have to make choices in war. You have to get the people on your side," Heather replied, as if it were obvious. "Oh come _on, _I know it was you, Darren. You don't have to lie to me. You bombed that compound."

"WHAT?" Moreau bellowed, furiously standing up and nearly spilling his coffee over himself. "I would NEVER do something like that! That's cold and underhanded! HOW DARE YOU?"

Heather smirked. "So that got a rise out of you..."

"Fuck you," Moreau growled, sitting back down. "That's something _Max _would do." He met her eyes again. "But don't _ever _suggest I'd do anything like that. GOT IT?"

The two stared at each other. Heather was the first one to break eye contact. "Yes sir," she said meekly, drumming her fingers on the desk.

Moreau smiled politely. "I'll keep an eye on Scarlett. If she tries anything, I kill her myself. Oh, and thank you for the utterly pointless conversation, my dear." He lightly lifted his hand towards the door. "Allow me to show you the exit."

Heather scowled. "Actually, there's something else. It's about Sky."

"Oh?"

"Have you let her know you want to start the riots soon yet?"

Moreau looked around and shrugged. "I thought joining a resistance would have implied that riots would eventually be a thing," he replied, almost snickering.

Heather glared. Again. Lots of glaring going on here. "You think she wouldn't like the...consequences of getting people riled up. Girl's strong, but you'd think she'd be a little less naive by now."

Moreau snorted. "I'll take care of her. I know what to say to get her to follow along. No biggie."

"Do you?" Heather asked. "Or are you just underestimating people again?"

"Ye of little faith," the businessman deadpanned. "I have contingency plans for everything." He pulled up Max's psychological profile again. "The reason I will win is because Max has spent his life hoping to live up to the ideal of a 'villain.' One who will devise elaborate death traps instead of shooting their enemy outright. One who will have incompetent men incapable of firing correctly...of making choices based on what he thinks a diabolical mastermind should do."

"Project Cleanup," Heather pointed out.

"Wouldn't surprise me if it weren't his idea," Moreau snorted. "I've seen the company he keeps. A mentally unstable psychopath, a prick with no loyalty to him, and a scrub that sucks up so that he can have a place to stay. You'd be surprised how much influence and information I have about him and his cronies, even from this distance."

"You have an informant?" Heather asked.

Moreau shrugged. "No...the person I've been getting the details from doesn't even know I exist." He smirked. "The fool created an archive of _everything_ Max has ever done. Sadly, he seems to have been smart enough to lock most everything of importance off to people who don't have the codes." A dangerous glint entered his eye. "But I'm working on it, never fear."

Heather rose to her feet. "Good to know," she said. "Let me know if I need to help you get more weapons. I'm running low on funds, payment soon would be appreciated."

"No issue," Moreau reassured her. "It'll be fine."

Heather nodded. "See you around then."

Swiftly, she exit the room.

After Heather left, Moreau sighed, rubbing a hand to his temple. He pulled up a map of the newly labeled Gotham. Having visited New York many times in his childhood, it was still surreal to see how much of it had been rearranged completely. Streets renamed, buildings destroyed and created, and entire streets changed around just so that it seemed different from before. And to think it had actually been the most untouched by Max's rule...

Scenarios ran in the visionaries head as he entered the mind of his enemy to determine exactly what made him tick.

An invasion of the new capitol of the world would take time to plan out.

But in the end, it would be all be worth it.

* * *

**Top Headlines for One Week After Project Cleanup's Instigation:**

**MAX INITIATES "PROJECT CLEANUP" TO ELIMINATE NUCLEAR WASTE AND HELP MUTATED CITIZENS**

**LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALLOWED CONTROL OF AREA, FOOD PROVIDED FOR FOOD DRIVE**

**READ ALL ABOUT MAX'S CHANGE OF HEART HERE**

**CAKE IS THROWN AT FORMER GERMAN AMBASSADOR DURING HEARING, CULPRIT UNKNOWN**

* * *

It was strange how quickly things could change when you showed kindness to people. Max had initiated Project Cleanup not intending for it to be taken very well by his men. But considering most of his men had joined to feed their families, it had been taken to with gusto. It was a small spark of hope for people to be treated for mutations and to be given more food, but such a gesture of kindness from their all-powerful manchild dictator was very appreciated.

He'd currently put the issue of Izzy's loyalty to the side. There was other work to be done.

Namely, finally sitting Alejandro down and determining whether or not he was bullshitting or telling the truth about the whole Heather deal. Somehow Max doubted that someone who'd been providing the resistance with weapons would have chatted with him so easily at the party all that time ago.

Max had insisted taking him outside to a diner-this time not inside his own compound. Matheson had been assigned to their protection. His team would make sure that the time went smoothly. Alejandro was of course shackled to his chair by his legs. The hands were untied so he could eat.

All Matheson could really see was a setup for trouble. Max had chosen to dine on a small rooftop. Super easy to kill but the bastard's arrogance knew no bounds, apparently. It was a nightmare for a bodyguard. At least it was windy and cloudy so that there was less chance that a sniper would be able to make the shot. It was a hard life, protecting a moron. A hard fucking life.

Alejandro adjusted himself at the table, clearly uncomfortable.

Max sat down across from him, making it a point to sit in the same type of seat. As equals and that kind of shit.

"So tell me this," Max said. "Why should I believe you? You're..._really _untrustworthy."

"Have you fact-checked?"

"I've had people go out," Max sniffed. "We haven't been able to locate Moreau but we've found records from reliable sources that Heather broke into your building and _did _steal a lot of money and weapons. So I might believe you, but you're going to be monitored."

Alejandro nodded. "All good. I want to make her pay for betraying me." He sighed. "Pity it had to be like this. Keep tabs on me, I probably deserve it."

"Don't pull the guilt trip bullshit," Max said, pointing his finger directly at him. "That just makes you look more suspicious. The last time we were sitting here eating Scarlett escaped from jail."

"You can't seriously be suggesting that I-" Alejandro began, sounding seriously offended.

"No, I'm just making a point," Max snapped irritably. "In fact, I came out here as opposed to staying inside to tempt fate."

Alejandro looked dumbfounded. "Um...what?"

Max looked around, gesturing at the open area around him. "What'll happen with you around? I'm curious. I've got a team lined up to take anyone out who tries anything."

Alejandro glanced back and forth, not seeing anything. "I don't see them."

"Because they're _hidden, _dumbass."

It was quiet for quite a few seconds as Alejandro tried to process the fact that Max of all people had just called him a dumbass. "Um...Okay?"

The rest of the meal was spent in silence and tension. Max seemed to be waiting for something, anything to happen. Alejandro on the other hand looked weirded out and ready to go back to his life as a CEO. The food was of course delicious.

"I'm sorry for wasting your time," Max told the Spaniard as they walked out the front door. "I seriously thought something would happen."

"No problem," Alejandro shrugged. "I apologize for keeping the Heather thing a secret. I can't say I apologize for my reputation, because that's me. And I know you'll never be able to fully trust me."

Max snorted as they walked down the sidewalk. "Yeah, you're right about one thing I suppose-"

A rumble, a roaring in his ears, and Max found himself being flung back against the wall, ears ringing. Woozy, he could hear screams from people around him. He saw Alejandro coughing and stirring weakly beside him. The Spaniard glanced down at his leg, which was bleeding profusely.

Max stumbled, trying to get to his feet. He pulled the pistol out of his back pocket and bemoaned that the disintegration gun was too large and clunky to be used everywhere.

_Well Max. You wanted something to happen. Now what?_

Max steadied himself, gun in hand as a blurry figure came at him. How'd the fucker manage to sneak explosives into the city? Unless...Max giggled, somewhat in hysterics. Obviously, he was aligned with the resistance. He'd have to beef up security again to keep that from happening again.

Assuming he lived to survive the assailant. First things first, after all.

Max staggered to the side, gun in his hand. A shot grazed his arm. But this being the second time he'd been shot, he didn't break down crying.

His vision slowly returned to normal and he could see the assassin. A skinny, pierced young man with a tall, wiry frame. Inconspicuous dark clothes and a buzz cut.

And a grin like a shark.

Records identified him as a mercenary simply titled the Butcher, known for ruthlessness and sadism. Max's mind quickly determined that he was the equivalent of Morris in terms of depth and personality.

Another couple of shots fired off, several of them again grazing his shoulder, but nothing serious. Max breathed quickly, trying to even himself out.

Where the hell was Matheson? This was his job.

Max ducked behind a piece of rubble as the mercenary kept firing away.

Max inhaled deeply.

Exhale.

Without thinking, he rose to his feet and fired off three shots.

A yell from the mercenary told him he'd actually managed to find his mark.

The gun fell to the ground as the Butcher clutched his bleeding hand in pain and looked at his similarly wounded leg. "They didn't say you could actually fight," he snarled, pulling out a knife and limping towards him menacingly.

Max fumbled to reload the gun, aware of his training with Matheson. Part of him wondered whether this was a test for him from the punk. He wouldn't honestly be too surprised. Max did need to learn how to not rely on other people as much. Hell, the only reason he'd gotten this far in life was by relying on other people. Even if this wasn't a test, Max decided that he'd take it as one.

A lunge with the knife and Max yelped, dropping the gun. Max aimed a punch at the assailant.

The punch hit, but it did absolutely nothing. The Butcher snorted in derision. "Okay, strike that. You _can't _fight."

A kick to the face and Max stumbled backwards, falling flat on his ass. The assassin moved like a blur, stabbing downward into Max's torso. The overlord let out a scream of pain as the Butcher quickly unsheathed the knife from its bloody, fleshy scabbard, grinning like a total loon.

Max whimpered, before noticing the gun on the ground a few feet away. He squirmed and tried to punch the psychopath again, only to get his face smashed in for his troubles. Max whimpered as he crawled away frantically.

The Butcher casually walked towards him, savoring the fear in Max's eyes. With understated glee, he lowered the blade. "Any last words? Man, you're fucking useless."

Max closed his eyes.

With a yell, he ignored the pain and kneed the assassin in the leg wound.

A startled howl from the mercenary and Max grabbed the gun.

Three more shots.

The Butcher looked down in surprise to see blood seeping from his chest. With a woozy fury, he stumbled towards Max but it was clear he was leaving the world. Max's vision began to blur again, and he fell to the ground, trying to keep the blood inside him. The merc stood over him triumphantly, knife in hand.

Only to be punched in the face by Matheson.

Groaning, Max tried to collect his thoughts and stop himself from passing out.

_I think I just killed a man...I think I just killed a man..._

As he faded out of consciousness, he mused that he'd killed billions already and yet had never quite put it together until now.

The last thing he saw was Matheson standing over him, calling for help.

_They managed to get inside...they managed to..._

* * *

**you know i kind of want to know about what the hell happened with the cake-throwing incident**


	13. Chapter 13: Order

**And we're back! I'll try to update more frequently. I have PLENTY of free time, after all. Well, we'll see how this goes. Also, Abysswalker (woulda PMed you but...you're a guest so) if you look closely near the end of Chapter 10 you'll see that Moreau was NOT the one to bomb the city. Just clearin' something up. :)**

* * *

The cries of freedom and the promise of truth kept the crowds from examining too closely the carnage left behind by the riot. Hundreds had died in the attempt to combat the drones and soldiers, and their bodies littered the streets indiscriminately. No one could tell anymore who was who, but the survivors crowded around the stage where the resistance leaders would soon be speaking and rallying.

Three days prior, London had been determined as a weak spot among Max's forces. Moreau and Scarlett had both calculated that they would be easily capable of taking it after turning the entire city to their side. They were also banking on the hope that Max wouldn't just bomb the shit out of the place due to his newfound conscience. Plus, the death of thousands of innocent civilians-as well as industry, would hardly do wonders for him.

So, with a bit of planning, and a lot of luck, London was taken, and Max's air strike troops had been recalled. Scarlett in particular had been incredulous about betting their lives on the notion that Max had slowly started becoming a better person.

In the end, it had paid off handsomely.

Who knew putting the leader of the world out of commission for a week would leave behind such a power gap? Well, both schemers did.

Moreau closed his eyes, slumped against a wall. A break was necessary to keep him going. Too much seriousness at one time drained him. He was expected up on that stage soon to deliver one of his usual speeches, but still he worried for the civilians. What if Max just sent in more drones and soldiers and just targeted resistance members? Whatever the case, Moreau had not been personally a part of the fight and regardless of whether London would soon be under attack, he would be leaving and returning to his prior base.

Five minutes passed and the resistance leader didn't move an inch. Part of him just wanted to stay like that forever. It would certainly be easier than perpetually leading revolts and systematically causing uprisings with the eventual goal of becoming ruler and fixing the fucking mess Max had left behind.

His eyes opened, and he smiled.

But then again, he liked his job. Might as well continue with it.

"Moreau, you ready?" Scarlett barked, stalking past him with Sky hesitantly following behind her. "You're on."

"May I remind you how to defer to someone in charge," the businessman replied evenly, adjusting his stride to match the redhead's quick pace.

"Apologies, sir," Scarlett responded while making it clear that she was doing everything but apologizing. "I'll acquiesce towards your desires from now on."

"Good," Moreau said. "Now all you have to do is stand to the side. Marcus and company are gonna make sure that nobody tries anything. We'll be safe. We've only been attacked at one rally."

"Everyone there died," Sky said, eyes narrowed. "He'll pay for that. If that's not evil..."

Moreau and Scarlett both individually noted Sky's insistence on thinking of things in black and white.

"We'll get him," Moreau said supportively. "Now come on. I have a speech to give."

The crowd wasn't as large as he'd expected, though still spanning several blocks. Cheers and whoops filled the air, and he smiled as he soaked it all in. He remembered that some people would not be attending, but would still be watching from their homes. The local propaganda station was now under their control. People across the city, and hopefully across the country would be able to hear every word.

Moreau smiled. _This _was his element.

"I'm going to start by asking you a question." He paused dramatically, looking out at the crowd.

"How many of you have benefited from Project Cleanup? Raise your hands."

Almost everyone rose their hands. Moreau smiled. "I'm pleased to see that. As much as I may want Max off the throne, I admire his decision to genuinely help people..."

"...or would, if it weren't for the wrong reasons. When I look at this whole thing, I see that dear Max Vile-or, if you want to go by his birth name-Max Hiscock-you understand why he chose to drop that surname. Anyways, Max Hiscock, or Vile, or whatever, is one of two things. First, someone trying and failing to seek redemption for his actions. When I was a child, and forgive the comparison, Hitler and the Nazis were viewed as the worst scum the world had to offer. And now...Max Vile has spent the last decade fucking things up, killing millions of people, and all with no accountability for his own actions."

"And now that he's finally seeing what a piece of shit is, he'll TRY to be redeemed. But his actions..." Moreau shrugged. "They speak for themselves."

"The first option paints him in a better light than the second. The second...well..." Moreau chuckled darkly. "The second is that this is a way to pull out the rug from under us. If we have no reason to fight, then we won't fight. He's trying to make people wonder why we exist in the first place. He wants to throw you a bone so you will forget everything still wrong with him _and_ his system!"

The crowd roared with righteous anger. Moreau paused for a moment before continuing.

"Well, the reason we were capable of liberating all of you from your cage...it's because Max had been shot, nearly killed by an assassin. In his own fucking capitol, no less! A strong ruler would never have let this happen! He's pathetic! And without him there is anarchy. So let us rise up and end this conflict! If he's feeling genuine remorse for everything he's done, we will peacefully depose of him. And if not..." A wide grin broke out across his face. "There will be blood."

Cheers filled the entire square. Moreau waited for the fervor to die down a bit before finishing. "If you wish to stay home and enjoy your new freedom, that's fine. But if you're truly ready to fight for what you believe in...well, it'll be up to you to take the first step."

The sounds of an entire city whipped up into a frenzy filled the air and Moreau swiftly exited, followed closely by Scarlett.

"So it's done," Scarlett yawned, picking at her nails. "Now, when do I get to kill people again?"

"Soon," Moreau said. "As a matter of fact, I want you, Marcus, and Sky to head out soon."

"Where to?"

"Toronto," the revolutionary replied. "Lay low until you see a man named James Brass. I have his profile right here. _Coerce _him into helping you enter the place he's inevitably going to enter. This is recon, but critical to the plan."

"Oh?"

Moreau smirked. "This could take weeks, but his Archive has something I need for the invasion to work. Make it happen."

With that, he patted Scarlett on the shoulder and strolled down the street, barking orders as he went.

* * *

The last time Max had been to the hospital, he'd been out in a matter of days. With new and advanced technology, his bullet wound to the stomach had been no big deal. This time, it was a bit different. Couple of cracked ribs and a concussion from the initial explosion combined with the stab wound in his torso did not do wonders for him.

Alejandro's leg had been moderately damaged but fortunately did not need to be amputated. He'd also suffered a concussion but after four days due to the lack of an additional stab wound to treat. He seemed shaken by the event, but not deterred in the slightest.

And filled with a resolve to make the resistance pay.

Max on the other hand had remained in the bay for a week or so as they attempted to heal him. The matter of who was in charge of proceedings took precedent. Noah and Dave had collectively assumed temporary control but were frustrated to find that Max's system of organization was abysmal. His papers and orders and procedures were scattered around in no seeming particular order. A simple task like calling the lobby could involve at least four different, equally tedious steps.

Noah and Dave stood outside of Max's room. He was nearly ready to receive visitors, but not quite yet.

"They're going to kill us if they find out how bad we fucked up," Dave whimpered. "How did...how did the resistance get an assassin in here? That wasn't..."

"Likely Scarlett's had some influence," Noah responded. "Don't beat yourself up about it. There's no way we could have known. Plus, it's not like this is an actual problem."

"Well, I'm anxious, okay!" Dave spit. "I'm anxious! I don't want to fuck this up! They're counting on us! What if...oh god..."

"Suck. It. Up." Noah sneered. "Max is still alive. Alejandro is still alive. Apparently you're still hung up on what would have happened if the two of them had both been killed!"

Dave winced. "I could...I could never live with myself...everything would be ruined..." He sniffled.

"You are WAY too invested in this," Noah sighed, shaking his head in an exasperated manner. "Just...chill out, okay? In just a few minutes Izzy and Evil One will be here to visit, and I want you to be on your best behavior." He paused and examined his sentence.

"Don't treat me like a child," Dave pouted, folding his arms.

"Don't _act _like a child. Yeesh, it's like you've learned nothing...seriously. What the hell."

"What about the London revolts? We should SERIOUSLY just bomb them too," Dave said casually.

"Then we'd lose the last of our sympathy, and a lot more civilians. Plus, Moreau is known for being a tricky little bugger to pin in one place."

"Then send in soldiers!"

"That will be Max's decision to make," Noah jerked his thumb to point through the window at the miniature dictator.

Dave snorted. "Yeah. I got it."

The two Indian nerds-turned-conspirators simply stared through the window inside as Max began to stir, bandages wrapped around his head and midsection. He started mumbling things under his breath, but neither Dave nor Noah really wanted to go in.

"Can you lip read?" Dave asked Noah. "What's he saying?"

Noah stroked his chin and narrowed his eyes. "I think he's grumbling about wanting that stupid pug of his. Or maybe he's grumbling about wanting to fuck a pig. Difficult to tell."

"You're just fucking with me, aren't you."

"Yep."

"Screw you."

"Innuendo~..."

"Oh, can it, you started first!"

The sound of a door sliding open made the two conspirators quickly stop bickering. The redheaded somewhat insane girl and the deceptively boring archivist both stepped in, eyebrows knit in concern. As little respect the two may have had for Max's policies, the man himself was inexplicably important to them. They didn't really know why, but somehow they cared about him.

A thought crossed Noah's mind that as inactive as Max was, he was the center of every single viewpoint and agenda trying to worm its way to the top.

"How is he?" Evil One asked. "He feeling alright?"

"He'll be ready to receive visitors in a few minutes," Dave responded. "Right now he's somewhat incomprehensible."

"And into bestiality," Noah added helpfully.

"Oh, cool!" Izzy chirped.

"Ew, really?" Evil One gagged.

"No," Noah and Dave responded at the same time.

Izzy snorted. "Anyone ever tell you guys you're a lot alike?"

"We're not cousins," Noah groaned. "Or related. Just...two Indian guys working for the same people."

"Who are both sarcastic," Evil One pointed out.

"Oh sure, just lump us together like that," Dave threw his hands up in the air. "You guys don't know anything. Why do you care about this guy again?"

"What's YOUR reason for keeping this job?" Noah pointed out, well aware that neither Evil One nor Izzy knew the answer to the question. And as much as he would like to just tell Izzy and Evil One everything, he was sure that Dave would immediately shoot him in the face. Or his earpiece would melt his brains out or something. Secrets were a tricky thing.

"I...um..." Dave scratched his neck anxiously. "Oh look, Max is awake and actually capable of speech! Yay! Let's go talk to him!"

"YAS!" Izzy pumped her fist in the air before excitedly jogging inside, Evil One following bemusedly behind her.

Max groaned, rubbing his bandaged head. "What the hell...man, I feel like Satan's shit. And not the good kind of Satan's shit."

"Well, you did get a concussion, several broken ribs, and a knife wound," Evil One pointed out. "That's not exactly going to make you all happy and shit."

Noah and Dave slinked in behind them, avoiding talking to Max.

Max sniffed. "Thank you for your concern. I am fine though, thank you. Do we have an ID on the body?"

"Apparently not," Izzy said. "We think the dude expunged all his records. Heh, that's a funny word. Expunged."

"Well, it's pretty obvious who hired him," Max sniffed. "Beef up security on this city." He turned to see Dave and Noah whispering to each other near the back of the room. "You two! Has anything changed since I was out?"

"Well-" Dave began.

"Moreau organized a riot in London and took control of the city," Noah said bluntly. "Sources indicate he might be planning an attack on the city."

"WHAT?" was the unified response of Max, Evil One, and Izzy.

Dave scowled at Noah. The egghead shrugged. "What? I don't butter things up. It is what it is."

Max steepled his fingers and furrowed his eyebrows. "Most concerning...how's Alejandro?"

"Conscious, but shaken," Noah replied, once again interrupting Dave as he was about to speak. "He doesn't want any visitors."

Max nodded. "Can we bomb London? That'd be easiest."

Izzy tensed at this. "Thought you were gonna be nicer," she said, voice low.

The overlord glanced at his strategist funnily. "Is something wrong?"

"Nah," the redhead snorted unconvincingly. "Just...thought you were gonna be done with knowingly killing people."

"No," Max said. "I think there's a problem here. You've been acting strange for a while. Standoffish. Could you talk to me about it?"

"How about I just go order pizza instead?"

"See, you keep trying to change the subject! You just let whatever random thought pops into your head control you!" Max growled in frustration. "You just...I can't tell whether you're insane like they made you out to be on TV, or just broken!"

Noah cleared his throat, glancing at Evil One and Dave. "We should be leaving now."

"I don't see why," Dave said.

"Yeah," Evil One affirmed. "Maybe we should stay and help-"

"Welp, them's the breaks," Noah interrupted. "We're leaving everyone. Might as well let these two work out their issues." Noah shoved Evil One and Dave in the back, ushering them outside. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a serious allergic reaction to sentimentality, so I'll just be off actually running the world. You know, your ACTUAL job. Ciao ciao. Should I lock the door until you reach a compromise?"

"Why?" Max inquired.

"Bye!" Noah said, and slammed the door shut.

Izzy and Max stared each other down. "Tell me everything," Max said. "Am I just evil? Do you hate me? Did I do something wrong?"

"You did pretty much everything wrong! But I feel bad because I don't care about most of it." Izzy sighed. "I didn't mind you killing a whole bunch of people until you actually killed someone close to me."

"What?"

Izzy laughed. "I'm not right in the head! No matter what I may tell people, to tell the honest _truth, _I was perfectly fine with everything you were doing! It was funny! It got rid of the RCMP! It gave me new people to run away from!"

"So you're concerned because you _weren't_ concerned?" Max asked incredulously. "Why hasn't this come up before?"

"Because then I learned you weren't actually the one behind it. And...something else."

Max scowled. "I'm a terrible person but I'm trying to do better."

"Can you ACTUALLY redeem yourself for the deaths of billions? I watched you on the show! You were hilarious! Then SOMEONE decided it'd be funny to actually give you that power. And I'm trying to find out who!"

"You want to know who my benefactor is?" Max asked in bewilderment. "Well, I'm about as clueless as you. I'm gonna ask again, _where is this coming from?"_

"You killed Owen!" Izzy yelled.

It was silent for a few moments as Max allowed it to sink in.

A beeping sound on his watch. Both Max and Izzy glanced down at it.

_"Order 4,532 authorized," _a robotic voice said.

"What?" Max barked. "What are you talking about?"

A recording of Max's voice played from the watch. _"Order 4,532. This is Class A important. I have hired another former Total Drama contestant. Original, I know. Hopefully, she shall help me further my evil schemes. But...if she discovers Owen is dead and poses a threat...kill her."_

"WHAT?" Izzy yelled.

"Deactivate!" Max ordered.

_"Vague command interpreted as 'deactivate target.' By extension, deadly force has been authorized. Thank you for selecting the M-180 Command Watch-"_

"OH COME ON! THAT WASN'T VAGUE AT ALL!"

_"-and we hope you have a nice day. Toodles."_

Because this is Max we're talking about, he had installed a turret in every room in the facility, which would prove useful when the resistance inevitably invaded. It had been designed to fire at an obscenely fast rate with alarmingly accurate precision. He'd wanted something a little more in line with traditional evil overlord fare, but Dave had convinced him to be a little more genre savvy in this particular case.

The turret fired.

Izzy dived under Max's bed, screaming as it opened fire. Pain spasmed in her shoulder and she realized she'd moved a little too late. Fortunately, the wound wasn't very bad. Catlike reflexes really helped in this kind of scenario. The gun continued to fire. Despite its deadliness, it was still stuck in one place, incapable of moving throughout the room.

That design flaw is probably what saved her life, to my recollection.

The door burst open and a panicked Evil One entered the room, disheveled and sweaty. He held up a remote that had last been in Max's tower.

A press of the button, and the turret deactivated. Izzy was shivering on the ground.

"We need medical attention!" Evil One called out, pacing around.

"Medical attention? In the sick bay?"

"Yes! Someone got hurt here!"

"Huh. Never heard of that happening before."

Max curled up into a ball and shoved his covers over his head.

"Sir, what do we do?" He could hear Evil One talking to him.

"Just go away," he spoke into the blanket. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Sir...do you need a hug?"

"JUST GO AWAY!"

Evil One backed up. "Okay, okay, fine...yeesh."

Max closed his eyes, trying to wipe away the memories of that day. Trying to figure out how to fix everything.

Sleep took his worries away.

* * *

"No, seriously. Are you _sure _you're up for this?"

Noah sipped his coffee calmly as Izzy nodded. A bandage on her shoulder was the only sign she'd ever been almost assassinated. Three days spent. Max had tried to get a hold of her multiple times to no avail.

"Max put an order in to _kill _me if I knew the truth," she scowled. "I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Noah nodded.

The door opened and Evil One entered, a handgun at his waist. His usual dopey expression was gone, replaced by serene determination.

Noah cleared his throat and rose to his feet, placing the coffee on the table. "This mission is critical to the objective we discussed. Hidden in one of the file you took for your Archive," he said, giving Evil One a significant glance, "was a list of connections and the order Max had been in contact with. I wish I could just tell you all right now, but their sphere of influence is _quite _capable of murdering me if I spill. I _can_ tell you, however, that if you follow the trail to whoever these people are, you can eventually trace it back to the benefactor."

"So we're just heading to Toronto?" Evil One asked. "To my Archive? Sounds simple enough."

It was quiet for a moment as Noah and Izzy just looked dumbfounded at him. "Oh my god did you just say that...oh no, you said it, didn't you..."

"What are you talking about?" he asked obliviously.

"Now that you said that, there's gonna like be a huge firefight or something," Izzy said, sighing and shaking her head. "Man, you don't know how this works, do you?"

"Apparently _Abed _here doesn't realize that if you dance naked in front of the fates, you're just tempting them to screw you over," Noah groaned. "Okay, so prepare for trouble at any turn thanks to our buddy here. Get the files. And get the hell back here as soon as you can."

"Yes sir!" Evil One and Izzy saluted at the same time.

Noah slouched even more than usual as he stared blankly at their over-zealousness. "Just get a move on already."

The two grumbled and walked away.

Noah sighed and sat down.

He squinted while looking at his coffee, as if wondering if it were poisoned.

With a shrug, he downed the whole thing.

* * *

**References~**

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed! Be sure to review! And SEE YA NEXT TIME!**


	14. Chapter 14: Archive

**And we're back with a chapter that DIDN'T take a month for me to get motivation for!**

* * *

It would be interesting to return to Canada after spending so much time in other countries. Max had vowed to cover up his Canadian roots once he'd taken over the world. It was why he'd chosen an American city as his capitol instead. He wouldn't be taken seriously if he'd set up shop in Quebec or something. He'd be known as the lord of all hockey players if he'd done that. Granted, it was most amusing that pretty much everyone was aware of the fact. They just preferred not to say anything.

Scarlett had been on the run for a while, the Canadian government having been out for her blood. Turns out attempted murder landed her in jail. Strange then how Chris McLean had managed to stay out of jail for as long as he did, and that the tipping point had been _toxic waste. _Scarlett growled. She was glad the fool was dead. At least Max had managed to do that one thing right.

Scarlett clutched the handle of her kitchen knife calmly as she waited for the rest of her team. It was a small force due to the fact that Toronto wasn't exactly...fortified. Plus, quality over quantity, right? Well, it wasn't always true. Quantity was after all how Max had managed to overpower her and take her to jail.

"I have a few questions for you."

The voice came from behind Scarlett. The lunatic tightened her grip on the knife handle and turned around, ready to slit the intruder's throat at a moment's notice. It had been too long since she'd been allowed to spill blood. Granted, Morris had been an incredibly satisfying kill, but afterwards her talents had been squandered while Moreau, Heather, and Sky tried to figure out what to do with her.

Speak of the devil.

Heather folded her arms confidently as she looked over Scarlett. The two former female contestants kept their eyes trained on the other, each expecting some kind of attack. Both would have good reason to suspect one.

"Ah, Heather," Scarlett said, releasing her grip on the knife. "A pleasure. May I be of assistance to you? I _am _about to leave for Toronto."

"I just want to know some things," Heather said, ignoring Scarlett's words. "I don't trust you. Moreau doesn't trust you. I want specifics on what you plan to do, what you're taking with you to Toronto, what your ultimate goal is."

"My goal is what it's always been," Scarlett responded coolly. "To survive by any means necessary."

"Would any of those means involve betraying us? I have a feeling that if someone stronger came along you'd immediately start helping them."

"If they gave me a better deal," Scarlett said bluntly. "But I'm content with this one for now. After all, you _are _giving me the chance to kill the most vile person on the planet. And you get a chance to have your revenge as well."

Heather took a moment to respond. "Right. Anyways, you didn't answer my first two questions. What is your plan, and what devices are you taking with you?"

"I can't speak for Marcus or Sky," Scarlett yawned. "But I am taking a knife, a handgun, several devices designed to bypass security, and a shock collar."

"A shock collar?"

"Just in case."

"Okay..."

Scarlett folded her arms behind her back. "My plan is Moreau's plan. To get James Brass, or 'Evil One' to give us access to the files that we need for the invasion. Then I plan on killing him. Is that _really _what you wanted to know?"

"Pretty much," Heather said noncommittally. "Thank you, and I'm sure Sky and Marcus will confirm it."

"Very good," Scarlett said, walking away. "I should find my team. So long."

"Wait!"

Scarlett stopped in her tracks and turned around to face the Asian girl. "Yes?"

"I have one more question."

"Shoot."

"Why...are you..." Heather gestured to all of Scarlett. "The way you are? Is there a reason behind it?"

The psychopath sighed, closing her eyes. "Imagine, if you would. You have a moral code that seems natural to you. It works for you and you feel good about yourself. Now imagine that literally _no one else's _system is the same as yours. Having it hammered in over and over again that your view of life, of morality, is wrong." Bitterness stained her voice. "Be yourself," she spit. "Yet be positive. Two _very _different philosophies spouted as truth. I questioned both. I questioned everything because everything just seemed so..._wrong. _Nothing in the world lined up with my code."

"And that code involved murdering?"

"Coming from you, working with Moreau," Scarlett retorted. "Everyone has their own rules. I eventually decided to follow the latter option. I decided to be myself," she said, a grin forming across her face. "There is no tragic backstory for me. I have no excuse for my actions other than that it is the way I was made. I _enjoy_ who I am. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

And with that, Scarlett walked away, leaving Heather in an uncomfortable silence. After a few seconds passed, she turned and walked away as well.

* * *

"How did I screw up so bad? Why did I...I should have removed that order! It would have been easy! How the hell did I forget to do so?"

Max paced around the throne room anxiously, pulling at his hair. Noah sat in a chair on the other side, unimpressed. Max pointed an accusatory finger at him. "And you're sure that you haven't heard from _either _of them?"

"Izzy and Evil One are off the grid," Noah said flatly. "I don't know where they are at this current point in time." Which was true, he didn't know how far they'd gotten to Toronto. Max appeared to have forgotten he had most of the known world's resources at his disposal.

He'd considered using the drone functions to track the both of them down but realized that sending drones after her wouldn't exactly be a bright idea after what had happened nearly twenty-four hours ago.

Max snarled, yanking at his hair. "Well, something's coming! An invasion, and I...I need them. I can't do this without them."

"I've noticed," Noah deadpanned. "You just keep pacing around, spouting out the same drivel about how you fucked up. Dave and I have been trying to run the world in your place and it's kind of not going well. We had to do this for a week you know. You should be able to do this on your own."

"But I don't want to do it on my own," Max whined.

"You were perfectly fine with this when you started ruling the world."

"Well, I don't want to!" Max said. "I was stupid! Everyone was dying! I ignored all the problems, but now that I know there are problems I have no idea what to do!"

"Keep doing Project Cleanup," Noah said sympathetically. "It's been working well so far. Dave and I can help you out."

"Dave's a weenie though."

"Yes. Yes he is. But that doesn't mean he can't help."

"But he's a weenie," Max repeated.

"Well, am _I _a weenie?" Noah asked, clearly irritated.

Max didn't respond.

"Well?"

"You really don't want me to answer that question."

"...screw you."

Max continued his pacing. "I just...I can't concentrate. I have this feeling in my gut like someone's trying to wrench it out with a crowbar. It's terrible!"

"I think you're feeling guilty," Noah commented.

"No duh!" Max yelled, surprising Noah.

"Wow," Noah said dully. "That was surprisingly self-aware. Remember when you were feeling lonely and you didn't want to admit to anyone that you were?"

"Yes," Max replied. "Wait, how did you know about that?"

"Dave tells me lots of stories about his times with you," Noah said. "Actually, they're more rants than anything. No, no, 'rants' makes it sound too mature. More like whining. Yeah, he basically whines about you all the time. It's really fucking annoying."

"Do I annoy you?" Max asked, looking like a lost puppy.

"Yes," Noah replied bluntly. "Look, everyone annoys me at some point or another. You're not special or anything."

"Oh, okay."

It was silent between the two for a while.

Noah finally broke the silence. "How's Freckles doing?"

"He's doing fine," Max said. "He was worried about me after I got shot." He smiled wistfully. "He's getting groomed right now. I think he deserves it."

"Dogs are better than people," Noah said sagely, a genuine smile on his face. "I miss my dog."

"Oh? When did he die?"

_"She _had to be put down before the invasion," Noah said sadly. "Lucky she did, I guess...kinda not proud of the position I'm in."

Max looked up at him. "So you work with Dave and...talk to my benefactor?"

"That's right," Noah said hesitantly.

"Why can't you say anything about your job to me?"

Noah scratched the back of his head. "I...don't actually care all that much about my job. It pays well, but the only way I've survived is by deadening myself emotionally. Owen was my friend too after all. So I guess the reason I'm here is because I have nowhere else to be. And if I try to talk about specifics, well..." Noah pointed a finger gun at his head and pulled the trigger.

"What about Dave?"

"I can't tell you much about him," Noah sighed. "But he's different than I am. He's_ freakishly_ loyal to the cause. Scarily so. If by some chance I was ordered to be executed he wouldn't have a problem complying. He hasn't felt a_ single_ drop of guilt about initiating the invasion and the deaths of billions of people."

Max gulped as the gut-wrenching feeling returned to his stomach. "It's a good thing he's a weenie, then..."

Noah laughed, patting Max on the shoulder. "Indeed. Guilt is a powerful motivator. So...what are you going to do about it? You obviously feel terrible about what happened with Izzy. How do you plan to fix it?"

Max sighed deeply, keeping his feet still. "I...guess I should..." He paused, as if being ready to retch. "I guess I should...apologize." He spit the word out like it physically hurt him to say it.

Noah smiled. "There we go...you're learning."

"But..." Max looked down at the ground. "Will she come back?"

"She will," Noah said reassuringly. "Just let her come back."

Max breathed a sigh of relief, seemingly at peace. He then looked at Noah. "Wait, why did Evil One leave again?"

Noah looked at him and shrugged.

"I dunno."

"Well, I'll..._apologize _to him too." Max sat down in his chair. "Anyways, thank you Noah. You're an alright guy, you know that?"

"I try," Noah said with a small smile.

"I feel much better now. Once they get back, I'll...apologize." Max shuddered. "Egads, that word still feels weird on my lips."

"I have other ways to say it if you want," Noah chimed in.

"Oh?"

"Well, you could say you're sorry," Noah began.

"Ew."

"Admit you fucked up?"

"What? When do I-"

"Atone for your many, many sins?"

"I don't even know what that word means."

"Get down on one knee?"

"What? Ew."

"Make up with?"

"Make out with?"

"No, make up with. Ew no, please...please get that picture out of my head."

Max snorted. "I was joking on that one."

"Sometimes it's hard to tell whether you're joking about things or not," Noah pointed out.

Max shrugged. "I guess I'm just that kind of guy."

With that, he stopped pacing and sat down in his chair. "Okay. No more distractions."

"Time to actually run my empire."

* * *

Toronto, like most cities, barely resembled how it was before the invasion. While the more garish displays of Max's occupation had been taken down recently, it still had an air of gloominess that did nothing to differentiate itself from the other gloomy cities across the globe. Gloom festival it was. Gloomy festival of gloominess. Project Cleanup had yet to reach this particular city, ergo the people were still undeniably fucked up by malnutrition and warfare.

The rich and lucky generally took to tall buildings that the general public (mainly beggars and street rats to my recollection) were barred entry from. Society continued on in its own bizarre way. Lots of protocols were in place to deal with beggars and pickpockets and the like, as well as mutated people. Shelters littered the city. While some of the poor continued to live in small houses and rank apartments, in general the middle class and below of Toronto were not well-off by any stretch of the imagination.

Evil One and Izzy struggled past the filth and decadence. Evil One held his arm over his nose and mouth, breathing into his clothing. Izzy on the other hand seemed fine with the stench but more disturbed by the various mutations the people exhibited. Skin similar to that of Moreau's. Nubs for arms or legs. Bizarre eyes. Nothing too sci-fi but still incredibly disconcerting.

"Why'd you choose this place again?" Izzy asked nervously.

"I lived here before the invasion started," Evil One explained. "Always kinda coveted this huge underground vault my neighbor and former boss had. Well, he died like right off the bat, so..." He shrugged. "Finders keepers."

"That's terrible. You're awesome."

"Thank you."

The two looked up at a surprisingly well-kept building, completely at odds with the desolate and grimy city around them. Evil One strode into the lobby, ignoring a hand reaching around his ankle. Izzy followed, busy trying to absorb everything about the city to really comprehend where she was going or what she was doing. She snuck

Evil One and Izzy entered the building lobby. Evil One resumed his dopey smile that Izzy knew to be exaggerated and carefully planned, as was his surprisingly effective custom. Whatever the building was, everyone seemed to be minding their own business. The quiet chattering was interrupted by a drunken shriek. A vagrant kicked and screamed as two guards dragged him outside, literally throwing him to the gutters. Izzy gulped.

How aware actually _was _Max of how his regime was seen by other people? Certainly not like this. Certainly not after he'd instituted Project Cleanup to get better.

Izzy's face darkened as she remembered that he'd placed an order to kill her if she found out the truth. Whether or not he was aware didn't matter. All that mattered was following up on Noah's lead.

She'd also stolen his order watch thing that activated all the drone orders. She didn't want to risk _anything._

It was kinda funny though to see all the ridiculous orders he made for various situations, and what to do in response.

"What is this building and why are they literally throwing people out?" Izzy asked.

"Kind of an all-purpose thigamajig," Evil One said as they walked up to a young receptionist. "Hold on, let me take care of this."

"Gotcha."

Evil One smiled and waved, leaning his arm against the table. "Hi! James Brass and guest to my vault!"

"Gotcha," the receptionist responded blankly, barely even looking up. "Have fun."

Evil One and Izzy entered the elevator. Evil One, or James Brass, pressed the button labeled basement. "Vaults are kept down here," he explained. "Various ones for various people, all with stuff to hide. People who still have money want to hide their secrets from Max. Probably for good reason."

"Wouldn't want that munchkin knowing all my dirty secrets," Izzy snorted.

"But doesn't he already?"

"Shaddup."

The elevator door opened. The two conspirators entered the darkly lit corridor. Panels lined the walls, all with numeric codes on them.

"How'd they set this up?" Izzy asked in wonder.

"Max isn't in control of _everything," _Evil One explained. "There's still some businesses and self-government left. It's not all Orwellian mind control and stuff."

"You know, sometimes you say the stupidest things and then you go and say stuff like that," Izzy noted happily.

"I could say the exact same thing about you," Evil One countered. He stopped in front of a keypad. Quickly, he punched in the four-digit code.

The vault door slid open, a hissing noise escaping it. Evil One smiled.

"Welcome to my vault!"

Computer terminals lined the several hundred square feet vault. The sleek black walls and rectangular lighting gave the impression of a sci-fi film, just like everything else the two had ever been involved in ever.

"It's smaller than I expected," Izzy commented as she shook one of the mouses around violently. The screen came on.

"Each computer contains a shitload of data," Evil One explained. "It's pretty tedious uploading every file on here but it's easier now that I figured out how to scan items."

"Wait," Izzy paused. "You're telling me that for a while you would type up documents word for word? Long, tedious documents?"

Evil One laughed. "It took forever, believe me."

"I can imagine. Now let's find that file."

Evil One nodded. "Did Noah give us any parameters?"

"No...I think he just said it was here."

"OH WAIT, I remember. It was the list of Max's connections and in what order. I...forget which computer that's on."

"Why couldn't you use cloud storage?" Izzy asked.

"Huh?"

Izzy gestured around at the incredibly old-fashioned computer terminals. "You had access to MODERN-DAY LAPTOPS bro. You could just store your stuff on the internet!"

"You forgetting that Max controls the internet nowadays, right?" Evil One asked incredulously.

"Oh. Right. Okay, this is fine."

Evil One cracked his knuckles. "Let's get this party started then."

"I concur."

Evil One whirled around at the new voice, raising his pistol. The sound of a gunshot filled the room as Scarlett pulled the trigger. Evil One yelped and nearly dropped the gun. Fortunately, she'd missed."

The next shot hit the gun itself, sending the gun clattering to the floor. Evil One looked up in astonishment to see Sky next to the psychotic redhead, lowering her gun.

"You again!" Evil One snarled. "Why won't you just die already?"

"Why don't you?" a third voice said, coming out into the open. All three resistance members held their guns at Max's former two stooges.

Scarlett stepped in front of her two teammates, smirking at the two fools. "Set your guns down now and put your hands behind your head or I'll have Sky blow your brains out. Clear?"

The two complied bitterly. Evil One and Izzy fell to their knees, hands behind their head. Scarlett paced in front of them, nearly giggling with excitement.

"So," the psychopath began. "You're James Brass, huh? Never knew you even had a name." She snickered. "Now...tell me about this place. What are you here for? Is it the same reason we're here?"

"Well, you haven't exactly told us why you're here so I don't really think that I could know the answer to that question-" Evil One began.

With a grimace, Scarlett stabbed forward. Evil One cried out in pain as the knife pierced his abdomen. Sky's eyes widened while Marcus's expression didn't change. Quickly, Scarlett pulled the knife back out, now soaked crimson. Evil One held his hand to his stomach as he tried to keep the blood in.

"That was unnecessary, Scarlett!" Sky yelled. "What was the point of that? _Why _would you do that?"

"To show that I won't accept backtalk," Scarlett said, meeting Izzy's eyes unflinchingly.

"You don't just go stabbing everyone you meet!" Sky protested.

"Why not?" Scarlett tilted her head.

Sky stuttered. "Well...it's...well now you're putting me on the spot. It's...it's just wrong!"

"Unless _you _do it, of course," Marcus muttered under his breath.

Scarlett snarled, spinning on her heel to face Izzy. "I require tactical information on New York. Do as I say or you end up like him." Scarlett jerked her head towards Evil One's sobbing form as he tried to hold the blood in.

"We should get him a bandage," Sky interjected. "He could be a useful prisoner, don't let him bleed out."

"Tell you what," Scarlett stated quietly, clearly irritated. "If it'll get you to _SHUT UP FOR** ONE** **GODDAMN SECOND,"**_ she screeched, face crazed and contorted for a moment before quickly recomposing itself. "...go ahead."

Sky backed up, shuddering. "V-Very well...I'll get him a bandage..."

Scarlett turned to Izzy and knelt in front of her, placing the knife under her chin. "You will look for information on Max's New York. Or Gotham. Whatever. Do as I say," she said, and Izzy's stomach turned as she saw that Scarlett had popped a blood vessel in one of her eyes, "or I will make what I did to Morris seem like a nice, quick, painless death_."_

Whimpering, Izzy stood to her feet, Scarlett's knife still held under her chin. Yawning, Marcus lit a cigarette, seemingly oblivious to his former partner bleeding out on the floor in front of him. Sky rushed back in with bandages and other medical materials.

Izzy searched through the computers. She could clearly hear Evil One's screams of pain as Sky attempted to dress the wound and bandage it. If they could contact Max, then he would most certainly survive, and they could arrest Scarlett, Marcus, and Sky, hopefully setting back Moreau's plans significantly.

The only problem was that these computers weren't connected to the internet and ergo couldn't be used to send a transmission to Max. As far as he knew she was in no danger and was still just pissed at him.

She glanced at the watch to see how much time they had left.

The solution hit her like a brick.

_The watch!_

Assuming there were drones located in the city (which was an almost definite), if they fulfilled the parameters of one of the orders, the drones would be sent to help them and hopefully kill Scarlett and her stooges.

Izzy racked her brain through the orders she'd listened to while sitting bored en route to Toronto. What was it again?

Her eyes widened as she found not one, but both files she'd been looking for. Quickly, she transferred the data on Max and his associates to her flash drive.

The second file lay out in front of her, a map of Max's entire Capitol.

Scarlett pressed the flat of the blade into her neck, and Izzy lifted her hands from the keyboard. Scarlett leaned over and nodded in approval.

"Schematics of Gotham and its defenses," Scarlett smirked, placing her own flash drive inside and uploading it. "Thank you for your cooperation."

_What was the specific parameter for when Scarlett's holding someone hostage? Wait...I've got it!_

"Max is going to kick your ass," Izzy stated surprisingly calmly.

"Max is an imbecile, and can't help you now," Scarlett smiled, holding the knife up. "Now pray you die quickly."

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Scarlett looked down at the watch on Izzy's hand. "What...is that?"

_"Order 13 authorized."_

Izzy smirked. Guess those seemingly good-for-nothing orders that had almost gotten her killed could be useful after all.

"WHAT?" Scarlett shrieked.

A recording of Max's voice began to play. _"Order 13. If Scarlett ever takes me or a subordinate prisoner and then proceeds to insult me, send in drones to kill her. Not because she took me prisoner, but because I can't stand her insults."_

_**"WHAT?"**_

_"Thank you for choosing the M-180 Command Watch, or MIC. The 'W' is silent. We hope we didn't derail any diabolical plans in the making. That would be horrible! Ciao!"_

"RUN!" Izzy yelled as screams came from upstairs. Moving quickly, she chopped Scarlett in the hand, sending the bloody knife clattering to the floor. Sky raised her gun, prepared to subdue Izzy by any means necessary.

Even the most trained marksman can be thrown off guard by someone grabbing their ankle though, and Evil One proceeded to do just that.

Sky tripped and fell to the ground. It was really pretty embarrassing for someone as skilled as her. The drone crashed through the door. Machine gun fire filled the room.

"MY ARCHIVE!" Evil One cried out as several of the many computers in the room exploded. Scarlett ducked for cover as the drone pursued her, fulfilling its order.

Quickly, Marcus picked up one of the desktops and slammed the drone over the head with it, short-circuiting it. Izzy punched him in the face and quickly wrapped her arm around Evil One's shoulder, helping him to his feet and staggering out the door as the three resistance members regrouped.

"AFTER THEM!" Sky yelled, back on her feet and moving. Evil One and Izzy staggered down the hallway as security guards arrived at the commotion with their guns in the air.

"He needs medical attention!" Izzy yelled.

"On it!" one of the men replied immediately. "Get this man to a helicopter!"

"Why not a hospital?" Izzy asked.

"All the hospitals here are already filled," the guard explained.

The sound of gunfire filled the corridor as Sky and Marcus engaged the guards. Izzy followed the two guards supporting Evil One and entered the elevator.

The last thing they heard before the elevator door closed was a bloodcurdling shriek.

Izzy slumped in relief on the wall as the elevator began moving up. The roof button had been pressed, and hopefully they'd be able to get out of town and to one of the advanced healing units before Scarlett and company could get past the security guards. Izzy hoped that the guards would be able to subdue them but somehow doubted it.

After what seemed to be minutes of waiting, the elevator dinged and the door opened to the roof. True enough, the helicopter was waiting for them, a medic inside. Slowly, Evil One limped to the transport, holding his hand to his bandage. Izzy followed, holding up a gun at the elevator and staircase, just in case they managed to get up on the roof.

"Did they...get the info they needed?" Evil One gasped, looking to Izzy.

Izzy nodded solemnly. "Yeah...we both got the info we needed. I should have taken it from her! It would have been easy! Guess I just got caught up in the heat of the moment..."

Evil One grimaced as the two guards helped him onto the helicopter. "That's fine, those were outdated anyway. We can still prepare. I...I'm scared," he said, looking at Izzy pitifully. "Will we be alright?"

"Probably not," Izzy said, hopping up into the helicopter.

"But hey! We've got Max's list of contacts. That seems good enough!"

Evil One took a while to respond. "Okay...I guess you're right. If we go down, we go down fighting."

Izzy nodded and grinned. "Alright! Now let's get you fixed up.

"We have a lot of work to do."

* * *

**Well, that was a pretty quick update! Hoping to get these out relatively quickly...in comparison to once a month. So yeah, I'll see you all next time! Things are heating up...I dunno what'll happen next. You have the theories. XD**

**Anyways, ciao!**


	15. Chapter 15: Tempo

**Wow...with this chapter we're going to be halfway through this fic. Wow. I don't really know what to say other than that thanks to everyone who's regularly read and reviewed. While I'd love for this story to have as many reviews/favorites/followers as say, FDTD, I do appreciate you guys who continue reading this increasingly bizarre dramedy. So yeah, thanks! It keeps me going. :)**

**That being said, this chapter was a total bitch to write, egads.**

* * *

The schematics Scarlett had acquired had proven to be more enlightening than Moreau could ever have imagined. He saw the stages that transformed New York City into Gotham over the course of several years. He could see how it slowly went from self-governed isolated capitol to buildings being demolished and drones patrolling the streets. He knew that Max would once again be upping security and that he couldn't afford to underestimate the tactical midget. Regardless, Moreau was feeling fairly confident in his ability to pull the invasion off.

Taking over London was the big break they'd been looking for. With a sizable, concrete gain for the resistance, people around the world started to flock to them. There weren't many full scale riots, especially after Max had installed Project Cleanup, but the amount of recruits making their way to London was astonishing and invigorating. Granted, some of them were physically deformed from radiation poisoning. But as Moreau saw it, if they were strong enough to hold a gun and ready to fight for the world, they should be given that chance.

The door opened. Sky walked in stiffly, Scarlett sliding in behind her. Both wore a scowl, as if having finished an argument. It wouldn't be surprising. Whereas Sky was self-righteous and opinionated, Scarlett was clinical and frankly psychopathic. Moreau knew the checklist of traits to define a psychopath, and as far as he could tell Scarlett readily fit every single one except for the large ego. Even then, he got the sense that she was merely hiding it from them so as not to push away potential allies.

"Sir, Scarlett nearly jeopardized the whole mission because she decided to _attack," _Sky complained. "She stabbed a prisoner in the gut, allowed the girl to send DRONES after us, and we barely escaped by the skin of our teeth!"

"And was the mission a failure?" Scarlett countered, holding up the data file with a smug grin. "I think not. Maybe you should stop complaining about things when you should be celebrating."

Scarlett placed the data file in Moreau's palm, who smiled thinly. "Thank you both. And thank you for the formality Scarlett, even though I've already seen all the data in this file. Where's Marcus?"

"Recovering," Sky said. "He wasn't much better. Too hot-headed."

"And you're not," Scarlett sneered, folding her arms.

The sound of a click, and Sky had her gun pointed at Scarlett. The lunatic didn't even flinch or change her body language in any way, instead peering at it without fear, fascinated by it.

"What are you doing, Sky?" Moreau snarled.

"She's insane!" Sky yelled. "On Total Drama she tried to KILL us all, and she's only gotten worse! She has no interest in helping us and needs to be put down."

"Calm your pet," Scarlett said, nodding towards Moreau.

"PET?"

"Sky, Scarlett, both of you need to calm the hell down," Moreau stepped between them, hands outstretched. Reluctantly, Sky placed her gun back in her holster. "This is a mutual agreement and you can't spend it arguing over petty affairs."

Silence from the both of them. Moreau moved towards the table of notes and plans for the assault on the capitol. "With these updated schematics we now have a window of maybe four days at the most before Max upgrades again," Moreau said, pulling up the map of the city. "We have everything now. Everything we could possibly need for a full-scale invasion." He turned back to face his two subordinates. "And you're going to need to _cooperate, _we clear?"

Grumbling from both ladies.

"Now we're going to need to divide and conquer," Moreau said. "Scarlett, you're going to be assisting Heather with securing more weapons from a Signal Industries facility. I trust your skills can be put to good use on this assignment."

"Absolutely," Scarlett grinned. "And for my _pet _project?"

"If you can get it working, use it," Moreau said. "You'll be closely monitored while using it though to make sure it does exactly what you said it does.

"Sky, you're going to be recruiting more men and briefing them on the information we've gathered," Moreau said.

"About that..." Sky hesitated. "Isaac was talking to me about that. Some of...well, a lot of the troops don't feel like the attack is justified. Max's deception with Project Cleanup worked. They honestly think he's..." Sky almost gagged. "Getting better."

"They'll remember why they're fighting," Moreau reassured her. "They WILL remember." The implied statement amused Scarlett and disconcerted Sky.

"If you say so sir..." Sky replied hesitantly. "I'll get on it. We'll see."

"Good." Moreau smiled. "Scarlett, can you say the same?"

"Absolutely."

"Excellent. Now come on. We have a lot of work to do."

* * *

Stab wounds were never pretty. Fortunately, Evil One had been attended to in time before the wound could get any worse than it already had. Scarlett and her compatriots had vanished from the scene, having managed to murder at least five more guards before leaving. Condolences had been sent to their families. Many, many lives were going to be lost after all. Condolences only seemed appropriate.

Taking a deep breath, Izzy plugged in the flash drive to her personal computer. She pulled up the file, preparing herself mentally. A beeping sound, and hundreds of companies, organizations, and their various subsidiaries flashed on the screen. Her eyes widened. How the hell was she supposed to get anything out of this? This was too much information for her to sort through. No, there would need to be some kind of parameters in order to thin things out just a tad.

Izzy cross-referenced files with that of Noah, Dave, or Matheson. Odds were that if any of these companies had anything to do with the benefactor, they'd have met with one of their driving forces, right? It made sense to her, at any rate.

Out of 248 organizations Max had done business with over the course of his reign, Max had been accompanied by Noah, Dave, or Matheson at 113 of them. It still wasn't the ideal search that she'd been hoping for but it was CERTAINLY better than looking through 248 different organizations. And even if they managed to find some connection she'd still probably have to investigate the subsidiaries in order to see where the path led...yeesh, it was going to be a lot of work.

Izzy sighed. When was Evil One going to wake up? Or for that matter, when was Noah going to talk to her? It had been radio silence on his end ever since she got back. She'd asked around but no one she knew had seen him. Not even Dave, who had suspiciously asked her why she cared. She'd said that she was just curious and concerned was all.

The library hadn't been seeing a lot of activity lately so Izzy was certain that looking through the files in there wouldn't be too difficult. It was boring, mind-numbing work and she found herself multiple times knawing on her arm or driving a pocket knife into the table. Compulsion was a powerful thing, as was nauseating boredom.

Pretty much the only thing interesting that happened was that some soldier named Larry got himself locked in a closet nearby and Izzy had had to let him out.

God she wished Evil One or Noah were here right now. She was seriously entertaining the idea of blowing up the place she was so bored.

"Er...hi."

The nasally voice came from behind her and almost instinctually Izzy went for her knfie only to close her fingers around a lighter. She didn't smoke, she just occasionally enjoyed indiscriminately burning documents. She seriously wondered why Noah had thought to trust her with this particular assignment.

Izzy held the lighter towards Max threateningly, before remembering that he was a midget. After realizing this fact she lowered it so that it was pointing into his face. "You've got SOME NERVE, dude!"

"Whoa, what did I do?" Max asked, backing up. He immediately regretted saying it.

_"Oh, I dunno,"_ Izzy mocked his voice, puffing her cheeks and crossing her eyes. _"I'm just gonna make a whole bunch of orders and have one of them be KILL CRAY-CRAY IZ-HAY IF SHE FINDS OUT SOMETHING! _I thought you were cool! Kind of! Like in this weird ironic way, but you were getting better!"_  
_

"To be honest I forgot that existed or I would have deleted it," Max said.

Izzy sighed, and sat back down. Max took a seat as well. "Not the point, dude," Izzy said. "You were my friend."

"You knew what I'd done before," Max countered. "And what have you been doing anyway? Going around with my minion? What have YOU been doing?" He narrowed his eyes. "Conspiring with Moreau?"

"NO!" Izzy yelled. "Yeesh, you're thick...someone...just kinda conscripted me to help find out about your benefactor."

Max remained quiet for a moment. "I've...been looking into that too, you know. I don't like being ordered around and told what to do. Dave's been a thorn in my side for over a decade now."

"I'm sure he'd say you were one in his."

"True," Max shrugged. "Regardless, I can't rule anything while knowing that someone else has rule over me!"

"You didn't seem to have a problem for a long time," Izzy pointed out.

"I don't like being played," Max said. "I'm not as oblivious as I was. I dunno WHY someone would want to have me be the leader for as long as I was. I mean, I _appreciated _it, but what's the motive?"

"Maybe it was a joke," Izzy snorted.

"They'd have to have a really fucked up sense of humor," Max replied. "What happens when I decide to not be the idiot they expect me to be?"

"I'm sure you'll just end up being an idiot in some other way, don't worry!"

"Two months ago I'd have dropped you into the lava chute for that," Max sneered, before adjusting his tone to be more pleasant. "Sorry. Old habits die hard."

"I almost forgot about the lava chute," Izzy snickered. "Have you actually used that thing at all?"

"I upgraded it to also have a route as an escape slide, but that's about all," Max said. "I haven't tested it out yet, all the test robots ended up falling through various rooms."

"Keep testin', I have a feeling we might need it. You know about Moreau?"

"Yup," Max said. "Idiot wants to attack the city. I doubt he could pull it off."

"Not even if Scarlett joined him?"

Max's eyes widened. "Wait...Scarlett was there?"

"Yeah, didn't you review the tapes?"

"I had...more important things to do."

"Let me guess, you were petting your dog."

"...no..."

"Hey, you don't have to lie to me!"

"I thought you were angry with me," Max pointed out, gesturing to the silliness they found themselves in once again.

"You're a piece of shit, but you seem to be trying," Izzy replied. "I'm still pissed at you, but we've got bigger fish to fry! That reminds me, I'm hungry."

Max stared at her for a few seconds. "You are one of the strangest people I've ever met."

"Says the five-foot-zero guy with purple hair and a Napoleon complex."

Max groaned and stretched himself out a bit. "So when do you think Moreau will attack?"

Izzy shrugged. "I dunno. Within the next few weeks? He's operating out of London and taking advantage of the civilians to make sure we don't just bomb him into oblivion."

"Which means that either we take him out before he reaches here or just make sure that we can get as many civilians out as possible before taking them on."

"Can we set up explosives?" Izzy asked cheerfully. "I would love to do that!"

"Maybe," Max said. "Moreau has a conscience, I don't think he'd attack innocents. He's gonna have to take care to make sure his image doesn't become as bad as mine."

"How do you think he'd do that?"

Max pulled up schematics of the city. "By being practical, I guess. Kindness wins a lot of people over. Now, we should probably get to the throne room."

"What about your benefactor?" Izzy asked.

"Keep on that if you can," Max said, adopting a fast-paced walk. "We've got other things to deal with."

* * *

"Excuse me, but what do you think you're doing?" Dave started, as Max and Izzy marched up to him in Max's throne room.

"I'm in charge, what do YOU think YOU'RE doing?" Max retorted. "We need to make sure the people in the city are warned about an attack and are able to escape."

"Since when do you care about that?" Dave whined.

"Since I TOLD YOU TO, NOW DO AS I SAY!" Max shouted in a surprisingly authoritative tone. Freckles 2.0 was lying on the floor near the throne, observing the action with a bleary-eyed disposition.

"You seriously think Moreau will risk a bombing run?" Dave sneered. "You're an idiot. Bombing runs aren't the 'heroic' thing to do and all that man is concerned about is his legacy. This is all ridicul-OW!"

Max had kicked him in the shin. Dave winced. "What was that for?"

Max kicked him again. "OW! STOP DOING THAT!"

"He barely tapped you," Izzy said, joining in on the fun.

Dave snorted. "Oh yeah? And like you could do any bet-"

With a sudden ferocity, Izzy punched him in the face. Dave staggered for a moment before crashing to the ground, unconscious.

"I've kinda been wanting to do that for a while," Izzy admitted.

"Thank Zod for that," Max sighed in relief as he sat down in his throne. Freckles waddled up next to him and plopped himself in Max's lap as he worked. "Okay, now that the whiny baby is out of the way, let's send the protocol to civilians on how to exit safely so that they aren't hurt."

With a few clicks and taps, Max sent out the evacuation and bombing procedures. The benefit of having a perfectionist germaphobe and a certifiable egghead genius as overseers of the city was that everything was nice, neat, and orderly. Granted, every file and procedure Max had done himself was a part of was an unconscionable mess, but it worked for him. Just not for others, really.

"Do you think that they'll actually listen to you?" Izzy asked.

"I'll need help," Max admitted. "Evil One will be up in a few hours, Noah should be back from wherever he was soon enough. I'll contact Alejandro and let him know that the resistance is coming."

"Who are all the major players on their side?"

"You said Scarlett joined up with them," Max said. "She's number two priority. Maybe I should put an order in to-" He raised his watch up to his mouth.

"NO, DON'T USE THAT!" Izzy yelled suddenly. Max slowly put his arm back down. "Sorry, just...bad idea, okay?"

"Meh, okay. That guy's a smartass anyway."

"And Dave?" Izzy jerked a thumb to the germaphobe's unconscious body.

"Can we roll him through a landfill?" Max joked.

"OOH, PLEASE?"

"Nah," Max snorted. "Lock him up for now though. He's pissing me off with his constant whining."

"Like looking in a mirror, huh?"

"Don't press your luck. Anyways, I'm gonna need to make a speech or something. People need to know I'm not trying to be an ass anymore."

"Well, you ARE kind of the dictator...all you have to do is say the word. Just put something in!"

Max inhaled and exhaled deeply. "Okay. I'll do that."

"I just hope that we can stop this invasion before it even starts."

* * *

"Good, you're here."

At least five Signal Industries guards remained on their knees, sweating nervously with their hands on top of their heads. Having guns pointed at them could do that. Sky nodded towards Heather, who merely stood with her arms folded. Heather wasn't a fighter. She didn't know how to use a gun but stubbornly insisted on accompanying Resistance missions for whatever reason. Especially the ones involving her former beau's company.

After all, they could always use more resources, and no one knew the inside of a Signal Industries complex like she did. So she helped out, but ultimately left the real work to the actual soldiers. Probably for the best. She'd have gotten herself killed otherwise and then where would they be? Minus a business partner down.

The deal was that once Moreau deposed Max, Alejandro would face permanent incarceration and Heather would take full control of Signal Industries in full support of the new regime. As of right now, Heather was sure the only thing keeping Moreau from shooting her in the head was the fact that she knew information about the main complex in New York (all resistance members stubbornly refused to call it Gotham). It was going to be a tough fight, especially considering that a considerable number of Max's forces were comprised of cheap drones that could deploy to anywhere in the world in a matter of minutes.

Which is why everyone was hoping that Scarlett's pet project would actually help them and _not _kill them all. People were placing bets on which one would happen.

"Yeah, I'm here," Sky said. "You have weapons for me?"

"You were right in recommending Isaac," Heather yawned, walking towards Sky. "Even with his arm injury he's still one of the better soldiers you have. I wish you could have come though."

"I had other things to take care of," Sky replied evenly. "We'll transport the weapons back to base. You really do hate him, don't you..."

"Fucker got burned alive in lava and _still _didn't learn his lesson," Heather seethed. "He's still being an arrogant, callous prick just in it for the money."

"I hope you get your payback," Sky replied politely. Heather didn't acknowledge the sentiment.

"How about you?" the former queen bee eventually responded. "Dave seems to have his place in Max's realm, hmn?"

"What do you mean?" Sky replied cautiously, not sure where this was going.

"Don't you want payback?" Heather asked.

"Well...I did hurt him a lot..."

Heather looked Sky directly in the eyes. "Did you assist in the systematic murder of millions of innocent people?"

"No..." Sky sighed. "He's...I don't even like him remotely any more. I mostly just pity him. But I'm not going to let that stop me from detaining him. He's still dangerous, and unstable...he needs to be locked away. Just like Max. Just like Alejandro. Just like everyone who was complicit in this."

"Do you really think people will be content with just imprisoning Max?" Heather asked. "People want to place blame. Knowing that a tyrant still lives doesn't help people sleep at night."

"We should try to kill as little as possible," Sky countered. "Killing is wrong."

"And yet you've done it..." Heather pointed out. "How do you rationalize that so you can sleep at night?"

"They picked their side," Sky said simply. "They made their choice, and they knew the consequence."

"Fair enough," Heather responded.

"Why are you taking such an interest?"

Heather shrugged. "Curiosity, I guess. What drives people. We've all got something that drives us. We've all lost _something _because of Max, or Alejandro, or Dave..."

"True," Sky said. "Are the weapons ready?"

"It's done," Heather replied. "They're en route now. And, in all seriousness...I wish you luck, okay? It's a weird set of circumstances that led to this but I'm hoping we can make the best of it."

Sky hesitated for a moment before smiling. "Thank you, Heather. Tell Isaac I said hello."

"Will do," Heather replied calmly, waving as Sky turned around to go report to Moreau.

Things would only get crazier from there.

* * *

**Sorry about the wait, I started working on this like two weeks ago and just had to chip away at it for a while. This was one of the harder ones to write and I'm not sure if it hit the emotional beats I wanted it to. Regardless, we're halfway through both Act 2 and the story as a whole! The next five chapters in particular have been planned out extensively and I seriously hope you'll all enjoy.**

**Until next time!**


	16. Chapter 16: Bishop

**Pleasure as always! Let's get this on with, shall we?**

* * *

Nuclear devices were always tricky to deal with.

If he were being completely honest with himself, Max had no idea how agents were able to detonate so many nuclear reactors during the decade prior. He'd gladly taken the help, but his forces seemed, in his mind, capable of achieving victory without them. Whether or not his forces would have succeeded without the detonation and subsequent genocide and contamination of the remaining humans unlucky enough to be nearby? That was up in the air, and just one of the many things he'd been wondering lately.

With Izzy's warning and his newly found self-awareness, Max knew that having nuclear weapons within reach of resistance forces and/or agents under Dave's jurisdiction was a terrible idea. The bombs had taken their toll the first time around quite thoroughly, and another event of that scale could make survival impossible.

Max rose his wrist to his face, pressing a button on the watch. "Order 5,002. Transport _all _nuclear devices to coordinates..." He pulled up a computer screen, furrowing his eyebrows. "Uh, coordinates...coordinates coordinates coordinates..."

_"Sir, are you aware that you can just literally type in the location you are wanting to transport these items to to this software?"_

"Oh. Uh. No."

_"I thought not."_

"Stop being a smartass. I didn't think that was in your programming. Uh, let's se...50.4 degrees north...48.2 degrees west."

MIC took a moment to process the information before responding. _"Sir, I don't mean to be disrespectful-"_

"Yes you do."

_"Okay, fair enough. But sir, is transferring every nuclear device away from the fight and to a single location...really all that wise? You should at least consult someone else before-"_

"NO," Max yelled, before calming himself. "Sorry. No. NO ONE can know about this. Not Izzy! Not Dave! Not Noah! NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THESE GO."

MIC seemed to be contemplating. Or recalculating. _"Very well sir. If anyone else asks for this order I will deny them access."_

"Thank you. That will be all. Program: offline."

_"Logging off, sir."_

Max sighed deeply. Constant stress, 24/7. He kind of missed when he DIDN'T know what he was doing and just lifted all the stress onto other people. On the other hand, he kind of cringed looking back on his ascent to glory all those...months ago? Years? The timeline of his rise to power was confusing and he didn't concern himself with it all that often.

Regardless, Moreau would be there within a week at the max (subtle puns, am I right?). Steps to ensure minimum casualties were in effect. The nuclear weapons would be moved away from all locations. Troops and drones would return to the capitol while still keeping forces stationed around the world in case Moreau decided to bait and switch, taking more territory instead of the capitol.

However, there was one more thing to do before the military tactics necessary that Max had absolutely no idea how to do.

The thing Max had to do before doing the thing he had absolutely had no idea how to do, was also something Max didn't have much knowledge of how to do. He'd been being coached on how to do the thing he had to do by someone who did know how to do the thing he had to do. As for the second thing mentioned chronologically that he didn't know how to do, or the first mentioned in this narrative, he'd brought on someone to help him do the thing he didn't know how to do. And it would be good.

With that confusing diversion aside, Max breathed in and out deeply as he looked down at his custom-fitted tuxedo. Not befitting of an evil overlord, but he couldn't afford to look "evil" in public.

This would be his first propaganda attempt in the flesh that didn't involve intimidation or submission.

Or, to be more precise, this would be his first attempt at an "inspiring speech." To be, of course, broadcasted around the world to make sure that the people knew that he'd mellowed to some degree. That he wasn't necessarily a bad person anymore.

Of course, it was inevitable that not many people actually bought it. Too many had lost loved ones at his hands for them to consider anything he actually had to say.

A rap on the door and Max looked up. Izzy, Evil One, and Alejandro stood at the door, all leaning in curiously and somewhat comically.

"You ready to go, boss?" Evil One asked.

Max looked back and forth hesitantly. Slowly, he nodded. "Sure."

Slowly, the Napoleonic overlord strode out the door. All precautions were being taken. Any assassination attempt, unlike the last time, would be stopped before anyone could be hurt. Alejandro, fully healed from his injuries, seemed anxious. Max still didn't trust the guy. It was hard to when he was one of the many standards of evil Max had once measured himself up to.

"Why did you choose my side?" Max asked Alejandro out loud. The Spaniard seemed to take a minute to realize he was talking to him.

"Hmn? Why I chose your side?"

"Yeah."

Izzy seemed to be spacing out, while Evil One listened casually.

Alejandro sighed. "To tell you the absolute truth, I chose your side because it was the winning one. No point in offering anything to a movement that's doomed."

"Huh," Max grunted. "Fair enough, I suppose. So why are you sticking around?"

"Mostly because of Heather," Alejandro admitted. "I doubt I could work with her again in any capacity. She chose the wrong side, she'll have to pay the price."

Max did not respond to this, remaining silent. The escort stopped behind the stage. Crowds had gathered. The spotlight was on Max. He'd used his singular propaganda station to film messages to the public before. But this would mark the first time he'd give a speech to a crowd. They knew him as the whiny, incompetent idiot obsessed with the concept of "evil." Some knew that Project Cleanup was working to change this perception. Others thought it was a farce.

"You got this, dude," Izzy said reassuringly. "Worry about things when they come, yanno?"

"What she said. Good luck," Evil One said, jerking his thumb to Izzy.

"If this doesn't work, you can still just order them to do whatever you tell them to," Alejandro said, before receiving several glares. "What? It's true."

Max acknowledged their presence with a smile and nod. "Thank you. Now, let's get this on with!"

And with that, the midget walked onto the stage.

The crowd loomed to the distance, murmuring to themselves but not daring to speak up or disrespect his name. The one time he'd murdered three hundred people from his hovercraft was still fresh in some citizens' minds. Max felt his stomach drop as he looked out into the faceless masses. He couldn't tell the mood, but one false move and everything could explode.

He stood in front of the abnormally lowered microphone, silent. The severity of the situation seemed to sink in on him. His _first _instinct was to run off the stage and let someone else do it. He curled his fists. No. That was the Max of old. The one that was a complete and total fucking idiot. It occurred to him that he could still be a complete idiot right now, but at least he could recognize it. At least, that's what he was probably thinking at the time. No one could ever be sure.

Shifting his eyes around before finally settling on a spot in the distance, Max began.

"I'm a bad person."

"I always kinda _wanted _to be a bad person, be evil. It was cool. I dreamed about taking over the world._ Crushing_ my enemies." At this, a maniacal grin briefly showed before he closed it back up. "Bringing the world to its knees! And then...I was actually given that opportunity. I don't know how, or why, but this position was given to me.

"I thought for a long time that...um...that I could just do whatever I want, and leave all the important stuff for other people. But if you have a responsibility to me...I didn't realize I should be responsible for you," Max choked slightly. Scarlett's words entered his head. The pictures of malformed infants that Moreau had shown him. The curtain had been pulled back a long time ago, and there was no denying it now-Max had committed genocide. Whether or not he was actually behind it was irrelevant. The fact that he willingly went along with murdering billions just to secure his own power made him a monster.

"I still feel like a child. Not just because I'm five foot zero. But I just want everything to happen to me, and for me not to do anything." He sighed. realizing that he wouldn't have a hold on the audience for much longer if he kept talking about his own negatives and insecurities. "I think...I just wanted attention."

"I know that everything I've done is completely beyond redemption. I, um...I doubt there's anyone here who I haven't hurt. And I'm sorry. I know that won't help, but I'm sorry. And like a boo-boo I'll try and kiss it and make it better. But it probably won't actually do anything because everyone knows that's just a tactic used to get little kids to shut up."

The audience didn't seem to know how to respond to this. Max looked confused. "I was...I was joking...I was making a joke. Never mind. Moving on."

"Uh, anyway. I just want you all to know that I want to make up for everything I've done even though I know it's not possible. Moreau...um...he's got a point. But he's manipulative. He's calculating. And I'm not much better but I'd like you all to not get hurt. So I'm formally announcing that you all have forty-eight hours to evacuate the city with all your belongings. I know he won't attack you guys. I may not like him but I know he wouldn't hurt innocents."

"So you don't have to like what I've done. You, uh...you don't even have to respect me. Just, for your sake, don't think I'm trying to lead you into a trap. You'll have plenty of time to leave. Thank you, and that will be all."

Breathing in and out heavily, almost on the verge of a panic attack, Max backed away from the podium.

The process started slow. A few scattered people began to clap. Slowly the process took hold and the clapping spread throughout the cloud. Max stood there, befuddled and bemused.

Applause was frankly foreign to him.

Interesting, how much owning up to one's mistakes would change the public view.

And as Max stood there on the stage with the crowd applauding before him, a feeling he almost couldn't place stirred inside him.

Gradually, it dawned on him that it was happiness.

A genuine smile began to work its way up his face.

The airship materialized above the crowd.

The bomb dropped.

Screams, and the sound of an explosion. Max's smile quickly dropped, a look of horror taking its place as a ship bearing his insignia started dropping bombs on the population. Blood stained the streets as thousands trampled each other to get away from the carnage.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Max screamed as Izzy, Evil One, and Alejandro ran onto the stage. "WHO'S CONTROLLING THAT SHIP?"

"Trying to find that out now!" Alejandro snarled, pressing buttons on his tablet furiously.

"MIC!" Max yelled. "Disable hovercraft!"

_"Sir, it appears as though my controls have been overridden."_

"How is that _possible?" _Evil One hissed, a look of fury passing over his face.

Max stood quietly as shrieks and explosions rocked the scene. "This has happened before..."

"What?" Alejandro yelled frantically.

"Back when we were negotiating with Moreau. Someone ordered a civilian bombing."

"Bring that ship down intact!" Alejandro shouted, and walked off the stage furiously, talking into his headset.

"Drones, board the ship and subdue whoever is controlling the ship!"

_"Sir," _MIC spoke up. _"I have reason to believe that whoever is controlling this is doing it remotely. My heat sensors indicate zero life forms onboard."_

"THEN BRING IT DOWN!"

_"Acquiring target. Missiles launched."_

It was all the three could do to watch helplessly as the missiles streaked across the sky.

As the ship exploded, large chunks of it rained down in the decimated square. Cowering figures littered the miles around. Bodies lay splayed across the ground, blood pouring onto the streets and into the sewers.

Max sank to his knees in disbelief. "What the hell...what the hell..."

"We need to evacuate everyone else out NOW!" Izzy yelled.

Weakly, Max brought his hand to his watch. "Order: All citizens must evacuate the city as soon as possible, maximum time 12 hours."

His hands shook, and he lay down on his back, ignoring the world around him as he closed his eyes, and let it sink in.

On a rooftop above, Dave looked down at the carnage with a look of disgust. He observed the sloppiness, the crudeness of it all. But he supposed it served its purpose, whatever that might be. He allowed a fractured smile to flit across his face. Who _knows_ who might have caused this? Some would readily believe that Max had done it himself, and in the heat of the moment, well...

Hasty decisions could be made.

And in the right place, order, and time, a set of hasty decisions could get Dave everything he ever wanted.

* * *

"What the HELL is WRONG WITH HIM?"

Moreau sat with his eyes closed in front of the television, hands clasped together. Sky paced back and forth like a caged animal, fury written on her features. "Why the HELL would he do that? This just proves it! This just PROVES that he doesn't care! He's never cared! We need to act NOW! I'm tired of sitting around."

Moreau opened his eyes, observing the carnage on the screen, a clinical rage evident in his expression and body language. "He's going to pay for that," he said menacingly. "I don't know why he'd open fire on his own citizens..." he said, uncertainty crossing his voice. "But he just made the biggest mistake of his life." Moreau rose to his feet. "Prepare the troops for battle. Hopefully they'll be more unified than they were before."

"Thank you sir," Sky exhaled in relief.

"Don't thank me," Moreau barked as he began relaying troop orders. "The next few days are going to be hell."

"For _him," _Sky spit out.

The door slid open and Scarlett entered the room. "You wished to see me, sir?"

"How's your pet project coming along?" Moreau asked roughly. "Will it be ready by tomorrow."

Scarlett sneered. "I have it ready now. I can deploy it whenever you need me to, and to whichever parameters you desire."

"Good," Moreau smiled thinly. "I trust that this will prove beneficial to both parties involved."

Sky seethed. "Even if we neutralize his drones, we still have a shitload of soldiers to deal with!"

"I doubt his men will fully trust him when at the back of their minds they wonder if their leader betrayed them and killed innocent civilians," Scarlett replied, giving Moreau a bared, conspiratorial grin.

Moreau didn't seem to acknowledge Scarlett's comment. "The soldiers will be dealt with, and given ample opportunity to change sides if they want to."

"I just don't understand why he'd bomb his own people..." Sky growled. "It doesn't even make any tactical sense."

"Are you saying that Max has knowledge of tactical sense?" Moreau asked, sounding amused.

"Well, no," Sky admitted. "But it still seems fishy...I'm starting to think there's something else going on here. Max's regime should have collapsed a long time ago."

"Sometimes surprises happen," Scarlett replied clinically. "Do not assign meaning to something that has no meaning."

"You saying that you think Max made it this far on his own?"

"No," Scarlett replied cautiously. "I'm just making a point."

"That's enough out of both of you," Moreau snapped. "Ready the troops for invasion. Ladies...I'd just like to take the time to point out that this_ could_ be our final stand."

"Don't get sentimental," Scarlett said.

"I'm not. I'm just making a point," Moreau repeated Scarlett's words. "I plan on leading the attack on the ETOD. I hope you both will assist."

"Of course, sir," Sky replied.

Moreau smiled. "Good. Now then, if we're done talking, we have a war to prepare for."

Sky and Scarlett nodded. "Dismissed."

The two left and Moreau leaned back, determination leaving his face. In its place was simple weariness.

He was looking forward for this to be over. For Max to be dead and Moreau in his place. To become a righteous force for the world, by any means necessary. To help the world recover from the blows it had been dealt. And really, after so many had died because of that midget asshole, why would a few more sacrifices be a problem?

_It's certainly a cliche, _Moreau thought to himself as he opened the screen of his communication device. _But the ends really do justify the means._

Marcus appeared on the screen, hands behind his back.

"Marcus," Moreau stated calmly. "I trust the mission went well."

"Easier than expected," Marcus replied casually. "Max's insignia is a pretty easy forge. The troops _probably_ won't be questioning whether their cause is right anymore."

Moreau nodded grimly. "Good. Thank you for your work as always, Marcus. It's nice having someone who's always dependable."

"No problem," Marcus smiled. "Always happy to help."

The connection cut.

_And really, _Moreau thought to himself as he reclined and mentally prepared himself for the days to come. _What kind of chess game is won without losing any pieces?_


	17. Chapter 17: Siren

**Oh my god. Ohhhhhh my god. We're nearing the good stuff. I literally cannot wait to show you guys what's coming. Just sit tight. This chapter is like, the calm before the storm. Just relax for a bit, because the next few chapters there will be no relaxing. At all.**

**It's gonna be fun.**

* * *

_Please evacuate the city. You have 5 hours 24 minutes to comply._

Screams filled the streets as hundreds of thousands trampled through the grimy streets of the city. The muggy, soggy weather ensured only that more people tripped and slipped. Some were left behind and trampled underfoot. Some were lost in the crowd. All were on the verge of hysteria as the evacuation proceeded through pinpoint areas in the city.

Murmurs of Max bombing the square intensified. Multiple times the anger boiled to the surface but were quickly dispelled by drones. Evacuating the citizens was the most important part, regardless of whether or not they wanted to.

They didn't doubt that some of them would still be trapped within the city by the time Moreau launched his attack. But at this point, the losses would be acceptable compared to the alternative.

_Please evacuate the city. You have 5 hours 21 minutes to comply._

* * *

The only thing Dave knew for certain about the next couple of days was that, for better or for worse, nothing would be the same anymore.

The already anxious germaphobe was pacing around the lounge, playing out scenario after scenario in his head where things would go wrong. Despite the fact that they'd planned for this eventuality, he could only feel his stomach contort in the humiliatingly shameful sensation of failure.

A more benign boss might have killed Dave long ago for his many assorted failures, which to be fair barely outweighed his successes. However, Dave's punishment was and had always been to wallow in his own melodramatics and self-loathing. For him, it was a far worse fate. He'd vow to never fail again. And then, naturally, he'd screw up something else at some point or another and the cycle would start all over again.

He'd never admit it, but he envied Noah's apathy. It must make so many things easier, being dead inside.

"So." The familiar deadpan voice came from behind him and Dave didn't even bother to look. Weird timing, Noah sneaking up on him right when he was in the middle of an inner monologue involving him. "Was the bombing your doing? Did you just _have _to prove yourself?"

"What?" Dave asked, turning around. "What do you..." He turned to the window, observing the carnage and people evacuating. "No. No that was not me." He smirked. "Must have been Moreau."

Noah looked unimpressed. "Well, color me surprised." The bookworm walked up next to the unstable hypochondriac. "Last time Max tried doing something rational you bombed innocent civilians. Would have thought him making a genuine, heartfelt speech would have set off red flags on your asshole-meter. Signal you to kill a shitload of people just to make sure people don't actually like him."

"Guess Moreau was just as concerned about that as we were," Dave muttered, to which Noah cocked an eyebrow. _"I _was," Dave corrected. "Fucking hypocrite. Berates Max for killing innocents then bombs the shit out of people just to make sure they don't trust Max."

"Yeah, because _admitting_ you're an asshole who doesn't care about the lives of anyone is _so _much better," Noah drawled, moving back and getting himself some coffee.

Dave sniffed, folding his arms, still observing the chaotic abandonment of the city outside. "You're going along with it."

Noah's composure broke for a moment, his face betraying a sign of weakness, before quickly readjusting itself to its usual indifference. Dave did not see. "Yeah. I guess so."

Noah never liked it when Dave was right. It was a rare occasion to be sure, but if _Dave _of all people was right about something, what did that say about him?

_We're working on it, _Noah thought in his head. _Izzy has the files. She can put it together. We just need a little more time..._

"Hey." Dave waved his hand in front of Noah's face, a cup of coffee in his hands. "Your coffee's getting cold."

"Oh, right," Noah said, snapping out of his daze momentarily. "Sorry, just lost in thought."

Dave shifted his eyes around, as if wanting to ask a question. "Noah..."

"For the love of God, if you want to use me as a napkin again, I'm going to strangle you."

Dave snorted up a bit of coffee at this before composing himself. "No, not it. I just..." Dave's voice cracked as he looked, wide-eyed at Noah. "What happens if I die? Or fail?"

"Then odds are we still benefit somehow," Noah said coldly, starting to get annoyed at his comrade's constant bitching. "And it's not like you're doing much of importance."

"And you are?" Dave asked sardonically.

"I've been appointed tactician, thank you very much," Noah said flatly, eye twitching. "So yeah, I am. You're basically just a glorified representative. You're in no danger whatsoever."

"Sky'll be there," Dave pointed out. "She'll see that-"

"My God I've had to listen to you talk about Sky for _years,"_ Noah groaned. "Not to mention how childish it is to not be able to get over a breakup that happened YEARS ago. My God I'm tired of dealing with you. I'm still remembering the days when your arguments basically amounted to-" Noah raised his voice up an octave. _"Sky is a big dumb poopie-head and I want her to die violently, nyehhhhhhh..."_

"I do not talk like that," Dave pouted.

"Yes you do."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yup."

"Do NOT!"

Noah lapsed into the voice again. _"Noah, I do NOT sound like that! Cut it out, nyeeeehhhhh."_

"Shut up and stop talking," Dave hissed, placing a hand to his gun.

Noah appeared to be having too much fun to consider stopping. _"I'm Dave! I don't know that shutting up and stopping talking are the same thing, nyeeeehhhhh."_

"Shut up shut up shut up..." Dave let out, placing both hands to his forehead.

_"I'm so pathetic I go into the bathroom every single day and think about Sky while I-"_

An animalistic snarl and suddenly Dave's gun was pointed at Noah. "SHUT UP! _SHUT UP!_ FOR ONCE IN YOUR FUCKING LIFE, JUST _KEEP YOUR DAMN MOUTH SHUT!"_

Noah's smug features broke, a look of anxious shock filling his face as Dave panted, the gun moving up and down as his shoulders heaved. Noah set his coffee down anxiously.

There were times when Noah had pushed Dave too far before. Noah slipped his hand into his pocket, trying to ignore his racing heartbeat. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I went too far."

Dave's breathing gradually slowed, and he put the gun away. "Don't call me pathetic," Dave heaved. "And don't use that voice to mock me. _Ever again."_

"I won't," Noah replied meekly, hand shaking in his pocket.

Dave scowled. He looked at his coffee before setting it down. Without a word, he stood and walked away. He promptly stumbled as he nearly tripped over his shoelaces. Another second and he was out of sight.

Noah slowed his breathing, trying to calm down. This had happened before, always when he'd pushed Dave too far. He let out a deep sigh. For all his partner's quirks and annoyances, he was still quite volatile. He had to be treated with care.

_Soon this'll all be over, _Noah exhaled, picking up a book and leafing through its pages. _One way or another, at least._

* * *

It was bizarre to Scarlett that people would question her loyalty to the resistance. She was working against the imbecile who'd ruined her life time after time again. Wouldn't that be all the motivation one would need to remain loyal? But noooo. Some people still seemed fit to spread rumors about how she was one of Max's spies, sent to murder them all in their sleep. Scarlett had tried to explain, in her mind quite reasonably, that she'd already come up with a plan for how she would kill every single resistance member. And that if she'd _wanted _to kill them, she'd have done it already.

Strangely enough, this did not set their minds at ease in the slightest. Scarlett could just not fathom why. Fucking idiots.

Though to be fair, _after _Max fell, she was already plotting how she'd survive and manipulate her way into staying alive by any means necessary. But that didn't mean that she'd _kill _them. She didn't understand people who killed just for the hell of it. What was the point in that?

Okay, _maybe _her killing Morris was equally for pleasure as it was for escaping. And _maybe _she'd like nothing more than to shove Max off the roof of the ETOD into a fiery pit with sharks inside it or something. But the _point _was that those were extenuating circumstances! All people had to do to avoid being killed was avoid pissing her off and not get in her way if what she was trying to do needed someone to get hurt to do it!

Scarlett rubbed her head. She must have been dreary. Her thoughts weren't really forming in her head at all. If she tried to verbalize them as she was so prone to doing she wasn't sure if anyone would actually be able to understand. Plus, she had bigger things to do than to sit around musing about her internal morality. There was SCIENCE to be done, and God strike her down if she wouldn't do it!

Scarlett nearly let out an audible snicker at this particular joke. God was a construct designed to distract humans from their inevitably puny and insignificant lives. If there was a god who actually cared about the world, he wouldn't have let a purple-haired toddler gain control of the world.

Of course, Scarlett mused, that could also prove that God just had a really fucked up and trollish sense of humor.

Scarlett ceased the theology debate in her head. Stupid thoughts, getting off-track. It was time to focus.

"Any progress?" Marcus folded his arms, having seemingly materialized behind her. Scarlett didn't so much as flinch.

"I thought you'd be getting the troops into position," Scarlett said flatly, not looking up from her work.

"I want to be sure our little _advantage _actually works," Marcus demeaned to her. "Would be pretty fucked without it."

Scarlett gestured towards her project. "It's nearing completion. All that needs to be done is increase the amplification range and we'll be able to remotely disable Max's drones. Done deal. You know it'll work. Why are you really here?"

Marcus's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps because I don't trust you one bit. What if your modifications just make the drones turn on us?"

"What purpose would that serve?" asked the psychopath. "I see no logical reason to hinder your goals. Not when they're currently aligned with mine. Why would I do that?"

"Because you can?" Marcus asked. "Because you enjoy it? Hell, I dunno! I don't understand your thought process!"

"So you think I'm evil," Scarlett said quietly, not meeting Marcus's eyes.

"Well...yeah!"

"Because my mind works differently than yours, I am evil." Scarlett met his eyes with a cold, dead stare.

"You know what? Never mind. I'm sorry I asked," Marcus folded his arms, walking away. "I'm sure others have had this conversation with you already."

As he opened the door, Scarlett's mild voice stopped him. "Were you the one to oversee the bombing of the square?"

Marcus stopped in his tracks, hand still on the door handle. He turned around to face the psychopath. "What's it to you?"

Scarlett gave a conspiratorial smile. "In that case, you _really _shouldn't be lecturing me on morality. I've seen what you've done. I doubt even self-righteous Moreau would condone some of your actions that you took without...previously consulting him."

Marcus's face dropped into a scowl, and he moved through the door.

"After all," Scarlett said cheerily, "It's always better the devil you-"

The door slammed. Marcus curled his fists and walked silently down the hall.

He really did hate her.

* * *

"Where the hell is Noah?"

Max, Izzy, Evil One, Matheson, and Alejandro all sat around the table overlooking a holographic map of the city. It bore minimal resemblance to the former New York. Max had always guarded his secretly jealously. Not very effectively, but the intent was still there. Moreau getting his hands on updated blueprints certainly threw a wrench into things.

"That's irresponsible," Alejandro noted with disdain. "We're preparing for war."

"Maybe he's busy," Matheson grunted.

"Maybe," Izzy said nervously. The conspiracy deal had not been lost on her, but she'd had no time to make progress on it after some jackass bombed Max's rally. Everyone was preparing for something or another and she found herself dragged at least three ways at once. As it stood, she concluded that the threat of immediate death outweighed the greater implications of the conspiracy.

Noah stumbled in, looking a little shaken. He quickly composed himself a little too late, sneaking glances at Max, Izzy, and Alejandro. "Sorry I'm late."

"Just get on with it," Evil One grumbled.

Max called for order. "To bring everyone up to speed. Moreau has our city map and plans to attack."

"Thanks for the update," Alejandro yawned. "So what does that mean for us?"

"Signal Industries has supplied upgrades for our soldiers' weapons," Noah explained. "Faster firing rate, greater accuracy. I feel like he has a few issues he's working out, and probably wouldn't care as much about this whole thing if his ex weren't on the other team."

"Know your place, this isn't the time for smartass remarks," Alejandro growled, tapping his finger against the chair. "Yes, Heather is on their team, and yes, I am _pissed _at her but that has nothing to do with-"

"Ah!" Noah threw up his hands in the air. "I honestly don't care. No doubt she's helped the resistance get their hands on some of your guns as well, but there's not really much we can do about that."

"Let's move on," Max and Izzy both said at the same time.

Noah shrugged in defeat. "Okay. From what we know of Moreau he'll likely be leading the charge himself. He's not a bad shot for a businessman. His immediate subordinates are Sky and Marcus." Evil One perked up at this.

"Keep Dave away from the fighting at all costs, he'll likely get himself killed trying to drop an anvil on Sky's head, Looney Tunes style."

Matheson snorted at this, while Izzy barely restrained herself from laughing out loud. Noah smirked and continued.

"The walls on the outside of the city are basically a castle, and the water around it is a moat. They can't easily be breached but he could pick any one of them and we have no way of knowing which. Drones and soldiers combined will be enough to guard them all. Try to avoid collateral damage if at all possible, so only bomb from hovercrafts only if absolutely necessary. Engage them in the streets and adjust to their tactics. That being said, the main goal will be to protect the ETOD. They'll likely storm it."

"Why not just bomb it?" Izzy asked.

"They want Max alive..." Alejandro muttered.

Noah nodded in the Spaniard's direction. "I'm pretty good at reading people. Moreau wants Max to be publicly executed. He's prideful." Noah scoffed. "And like many before him and many to come, it'll be his downfall."

"What about Scarlett?" Max asked.

"Scarlett is a wild card, but she hates you, guaranteeing her allegiance to Moreau for the time being," Noah said as if talking about the weather. "She'll likely have something cooked up and you should take her out as soon as humanly possible. No flashy dramatics or boasting. Just send drones or men to shoot her, and fill her with bullets." Noah allowed himself to look a little smug. "Sometimes the most complicated plan can be foiled by a simple solution."

"If Moreau reaches the ETOD, which isn't desirable, he'll have to take a small team due to confined spaces. Small question, after Scarlett escaped did you up your security so it wasn't as easily shorted out?"

"What, am I an idiot?" Max snapped. "Of course I did, I'm not dumb!"

"Okay good. That means that she won't be able to do the same thing again. If they make it in, just use ceiling turrets to gun them down. _If _somehow they shut that off, you need to remain at the top with as many men as you can below you."

"We're spreading our resources thin at this point," Matheson pointed out. "We don't have enough men to properly fortify all four entry points, the city, AND the ETOD."

"Bring in more men from elsewhere?" Max suggested. "We _do _rule the world after all."

"We can't take the risk that by moving forces back here they wouldn't change tactics and just take other key locations," Noah explained.

"Take it from locations we can afford to lose, then!"

"That's not very many men."

"Okay, WHATEVER Mr. Smartypants. You obviously know better than I do."

Noah grit his teeth before continuing. "So yeah. I guess just make sure they don't reach the ETOD. Still put men inside. What about nuclear weapons? God, if they get their hands on those..."

"I've secured them," Max said confidently. "It's fine."

Noah looked incredulous at this but ultimately accepted it. "Very well. They probably have a few tricks up their sleeve, they don't have enough soldiers to fight us fair. How's the evacuation going?"

_"87% of civilians have been evacuated," _MIC's voice resonated.

"Still a lot of people in the city..." Evil One pointed out.

"We still have a few hours at the most," Noah said. "Should be enough time to get everyone out safely-"

Rumbling under their feet as the sound of an explosion reached their ears. The sirens filled the air and suddenly everyone was glaring at Noah.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Okay, dude?" Evil One said, recalling the last time he'd been genre blind in Noah's presence. _"That _one was on _you."_

_"Western wall has been breached. Prepare for battle."_

* * *

**This is either going to be amazing or a complete mess, and I hope it's the former. See y'all next time!**


	18. Chapter 18: Invasion

**The set-up is concluded! Time for shit to happen!**

* * *

"Are we sure this is going to work?"

The sound of gunfire as Max's drones and soldiers engaged Moreau's resounded throughout the near empty streets. Moreau hung back near the rear, barking orders into his headset. It was a risky move, attacking the capitol so boldly. They'd been banking on Max keeping his other forces out of the city for fear of his other cities being taken. Now that their target was clear they had a ticking clock to get to the ETOD with a small guerilla force and permanently take Max out of the picture.

Scarlett tucked her project under her arm, while standing next to Sky. Marcus crouched behind an overturned car, firing away at the enemy with the rest of the men. Disabling Max's drones would be first priority.

"How much range does that have?" Sky asked.

"The E.M.P. should have enough range to wipe out every drone coded to Max's frequency within the entirety of Manhattan," Scarlett replied smugly. "In order to make sure all of them are eliminated we need to head inward another block. Just to be sure."

"You mean an emp?" Sky asked in confusion.

"No, it's E.M...never mind," Scarlett sighed.

"INCOMING!"

A blast shook the ground. Scarlett and Sky stumbled around for a moment before Moreau's voice came in through their earpiece. _"What the hell are you two doing, you're supposed to be taking out those drones! We're going to be slaughtered!"_

Sky clenched her gun in hand. "On it, sir." She nodded towards Scarlett. "Let's get you through!"

Looking up, Sky narrowed her eyes as a soldier spotted her. She fired off several rounds, and a howl of pain confirmed a direct hit. Sky crouched low to the ground, motioning for Scarlett to follow her. Sky ducked behind an empty hot dog cart, motioning for Scarlett to join her.

"You know that just because you have some form of cover doesn't mean you're immune to bullets," Scarlett hissed. "It's not like the movies where-"

Sky yanked her under the cart as sub automatic fire pierced the air where Scarlett had been standing a moment earlier. "You were saying?" Sky asked rhetorically.

Scarlett scowled. Moving quickly, Sky leaped out from behind the cart, firing off several more shots. The shooter fell to the ground.

"You're uncannily good with that thing," Scarlett noted with a tinge of jealousy.

"I've had a lot of practice," Sky replied breathlessly. "Come on, let's go!" The two ran across the street. Another explosion and the sound of a child screaming slowed them down as they teetered dangerously. Smoke filled the air and neither girl could tell which side had caused the explosion. Sky snuck a look back at Moreau's forces, which were now dispersing to have less of a target for the drones. Blood stained the ground and Scarlett noted with satisfaction that both sides had suffered casualties.

Automatic fire and Sky screamed, barely getting out of range in time. The blank, dull face of a drone looked at them. Scarlett looked to the sky, seeing that the robots had indeed been dispatched. _Coward, _she thought to herself. _Can't even fight us himself, has to rely on fucking drones..._

_"We're taking fire!" _Moreau's voice cut through their headsets. Scarlett and Sky backed up as the drone landed on the ground, reloading its weapons. _"We need you to take them out now-"_

The drone raised its gun to fire, and Scarlett flipped the switch.

A whooshing sound and the two fighters looked on as the drone fell to its knees before crashing flat on its face.

The sound of an entire robotic army powering down could be heard by every soldier, Max's or Moreau's.

Sky and Scarlett looked on as drones fell from the sky midflight, self-destructed in an electrical explosion, or simply the anticlimactic powering down. If Sky were completely honest with herself she didn't think they'd even make it that far. To her, Max had all the advantages. Drones, a hovercraft, nuclear weapons, soldiers...now they actually stood a chance.

For the first time, the odds would be even. Man versus man, as opposed to man versus automatic drone.

_"You've done it!" _Moreau shouted, a laugh entering his voice. _"Well, not like it was very hard, but..." _He giggled again while talking, almost giddy with excitement. _"Excellent work! Keep moving! We've got a lot more to take care of."_

* * *

_"The city is under attack. Red alert, the city is under attack. Please evacuate calmly...you know what, screw that. Run like hell. Who the fuck cares."_

Max paced around in his throne room, cursing vehemently and gesturing wildly. Izzy was yelling at someone on the phone, while Evil One was looking out the window in shock at the smoke rising in the distance. Noah stood to Max's side, barking orders into his headset. Alejandro folded his arms, staring at a spot on the wall in deep concentration.

"This is stupid!" Max snarled. "Why would he do this? Why? He knows that the evacuation wasn't done! The hypocrite, talking about how much he _cares _about people and then he PULLS SHIT LIKE THIS!"

"Sir, with all due respect, we should probably be figuring out what to do next," Noah sneered, before returning to his orders.

A tremor shook the floor, causing everyone in the room to stumble. "What kind of explosives do they have?" Evil One whimpered.

"Enough of this, you're not getting anything done," Noah snapped. "Max, how's your hovercraft?"

Max curled his fingers into fists at his sides and glared. "It's in working order but it'd leave a lot of collateral damage."

"In that case, just keep it in the wings," Noah said, before spinning on his heels to face Alejandro. "Al, would you happen to have maybe one or two death rays lying around? You know, like the one you made for Max?"

"Never made any more," Alejandro sniffed. "It was a special purchase for him. Plus, it's not like it's _easy _to make."

"Could Heather have duplicated it?" Max spokeup.

Alejandro shook his head. "Nah. She wouldn't know how." He grinned. "I will say that I'm looking forward to seeing her again."

"You sure she's here?" Evil One asked.

"Positive."

"Well, good luck with that," Noah exclaimed through gritted teeth before turning to Izzy. "Izzy! You still good with explosions?"

Izzy's phone fell to the ground as she seemed startled by the interruption. "Uh, yeah! It's the bomb-diggetty...yo..."

"Never say that again," Noah said exasperatedly. "But just go do your thing and blow shit up! As long as it doesn't hit our guys."

A familiar grin spread across the psycho's face. "Thought you'd never ask."

At almost cartoon speeds, Izzy was out of the room and cackling as she went to do God-knows-what.

"Al, take shelter on one of the lower floors. This place is built to withstand pretty much anything, and you _know _they'll be gunning for Max."

"I'll stay out of the way unless absolutely necessary," the Spaniard bowed, before turning around and heading out the door.

"Max and I will direct the troops from here," Noah said, pulling up a map of the city and the fights occurring in real time. "And Evil One..."

"Yes?" the scrub said hopefully.

"You can...help. I guess. To be honest I don't really know what to do with you."

"I get that a lot," Evil One beamed. "I'll just go help the other troops." With that, he stumbled out of the room, loading his gun and loudly asking if people knew where any armor was.

"Great," Noah rolled his eyes. "Now he's definitely gonna die. Matheson is leading a squad against them, and Dave...where the fuck is Dave?" Noah adjusted his headset. "Dave? You there? Where the hell are you?"

There was no answer. "Must be interference," Noah mumbled, and ultimately decided that Dave's location wasn't really all that important right now, the jackass.

Max picked up his death ray protectively. "So am I gonna get to use this?"

"You'd better hope you don't have to," Noah said, while examining the fight before him. "If they get here we're toast. At least we have the drones on our-"

A flicker of the lights. The faint sounds of crashing. "What was that?" Noah asked fearfully.

Max listened as a garbled call came in through the radio. Matheson was yelling. _"SOMEONE.-.-. -..."_

"I think that they used an emp," Max cringed. "Knocking out all our drones and scrambling communications.

"What the hell is an-whatever." Noah seemed ready to tear his hair out. "Just another problem we have to deal with today, YAY!"

"That's the second time you've jinxed us," Max noticed. "You really need to step up your game."

"Sorry, but it's not gonna be _my _ass on a pike if we lose," Noah sneered.

Max gulped. "Fair point."

"Now I know you're not used to leading military operations," Noah said. "Your previous ones involving massacring hundreds of innocent people, or failing to capture terrorist leaders and all."

"Hey!"

"But I think that as long as you do exactly what I say, and take initiative, you'll be fine."

Max scrunched up his face. "How do I do both of those things? What if my initiative is terrible?"

"Figure it out," Noah sighed. "Or else they'll figure it out for you."

It was quiet for a moment before Max responded. "...what the hell does that even mean?"

"I don't know," Noah growled. "I just thought it sounded dramatic. It's besides the point, just get moving!"

* * *

Moreau smiled confidently as Max's forces retreated. Heather remained shielded to his side. He'd been a little confused as to why Heather (who'd had no combat training whatsoever) would want to come along for the invasion. She'd explained it as wanting to personally hand Alejandro his ass. Moreau couldn't really come up with a good point to refute this, so as of right now she was just going to have to stay out of the way and not get shot.

Moreau leaned over the barricade they'd formed and let off several shots of his own as more of Max's men advanced on foot. Another explosion rocked the ground. Moreau looked to see that another poorly guarded gas station had exploded. He grinned confidently. Marcus was doing his job, then. The plan was simple. Cause enough confusion to disperse Max's forces, then make a beeline straight to the ETOD before Max could get his shit together.

"Marcus, Heather!" he shouted as more gunfire went off. The sound of enemy soldiers crying out in pain filled the air. "Press them back! Our troops have already started dispersing and we NEED to draw Max's forces away from the tower!"

"How do we do that sir?" Marcus asked.

Moreau turned his earpiece on, adjusting the settings. "Sky, Scarlett, can you hear me?"

_"Moreau? What's up?"_

"Sky, I need you and Scarlett to cause another explosion to the north. Make it big. I'm sending some troops your way to help you out."

Scarlett's clinical voice came through. _"Do you have any particular preference for how it's done?"_

Moreau sighed. "I don't really care, just make it bi-"

To the north, yet another explosion rocked the city. The alarms were still going, likely as a result of neglect. Or, an attempt to irritate the attackers.

"Wow, that was fast!" Moreau laughed. "How did you-" He stopped as he heard screams from the other end, before the connection cut off.

_"Shit," _he cursed vehemently. He examined the scene. A soldier manning a turret screamed out as he fell to the ground, head bursting open with blood. Moreau silently saluted the man. He'd make sure his sacrifice and that of many others wouldn't be for nothing.

"Cover me!" he shouted to Marcus, climbing into the shotgun of a jeep. "I'll meet you at the ETOD!" He could hear the screams from one of the other pinpoints. More of Max's soldiers arrived to the battleground.

"What about me?" Heather shrieked, cowering.

Moreau looked at her without the slightest semblance of pity. "You chose to come here. You can figure out what to do. I'm going to help Sky and Scarlett." He narrowed his eyes. "I think they're going to have to deal with a certain pyromaniac, and I don't want them to do it alone."

"Sir, that's a lot of miles..." Marcus began hesitantly. "Are you sure that's wise? You're no good to us dead."

"Soldiers, with me!" Moreau ordered, pointing roughly at men to accompany him. They all hurriedly entered the jeep, weapons in hand. Another explosion from the east. The alarms finally silenced and suddenly the air seemed empty.

"Sir-" Marcus began again.

"I will be _fine," _Moreau stressed, looking from Marcus to Heather and back. "Push them back! Use the bombs if you have to! We have troops slipping past their lines as we speak. Once we surround the tower," Moreau allowed himself a confident grin. "The best of us will take the tower."

"If you're sure..." Marcus sighed, looking uncertain as he tapped his earpiece anxiously.

"Alright boys," Moreau said, trying to show more confidence than we felt. "Let's go help them out, okay?"

* * *

Dave stood in stone cold silence as he looked out the lounge window at the chaos below. Smoke rose from various pinpoints into the sky. He frowned. It was going to take a lot to not break down right now. Stress had never been his strong suit. It was a detriment of the job that it would put him into a state of constant stress and danger.

Secretly he rather hoped Max would lose. Not that it mattered either way.

He grasped the cold metal gun at his side. He thought of Noah's teasing. Of Evil One of all people slamming him into the ground. Of Max and Izzy punching him out while showing him no respect. He thought of the image of the entire thing crashing down, with the smoking gun in Dave's hands.

No, he thought to himself, steadying his breathing. No. They wouldn't let that happen.

They'd better not let that happen.

* * *

They didn't know where the explosion came from, but all Scarlett could think, rather wryly, as she slowly struggled to her feet, ears ringing and arms bleeding, was that it was very oddly timed.

Sky groaned as she looked down at the rubble near her feet. Another foot away and her leg would have been crushed. Fortunately, she wasn't and as a result only had minor injuries. She could still fight. And they were _so close _to the rendezvous. The ETOD was half a mile away at the most. Most likely less as well!

"Why didn't we send for any other men..." Sky groaned.

"We were going to," Scarlett said, sounding rather dazed as she looked down, noticing for the first time a large red blotch on her jacket. "It was...unforeseen that they'd risk explosions." Scarlett heaved a bit, pressing a hand to her stomach, trying to keep the blood in.

Gunfire rang out and Sky ducked for cover behind a large beam (silently daring Scarlett to question the implausibility of it). The psychopath screamed in pain as Sky dragged her along. The gunfire stopped as soon as they were out of sight. It was surprisingly easy considering the dirt and dust that had been kicked up by the explosion. The remnants of what appeared to be a bank now were Scarlett and Sky's only cover.

A perky female voice rang out over the empty rubble. "Ya know, you'd be surprised how quickly one can set up an explosive trap! I'm just surprised we snagged you two! Come on out and we won't kill you!"

"Like we'll believe that!" Sky retorted, trying to reach Moreau but failing.

"Let me up," Scarlett slurred, trying to push herself into a standing position.

"What are you doing?" Sky hissed as Scarlett rose to her feet, stumbling towards the men.

"I need a better view," the psychopath replied venomously as her hair came undone. She raised her hands up in the air and stepped out of the dust.

Izzy, Evil One, and Matheson led a team of about seven soldiers. They looked on in astonishment as Scarlett stood in the open with her hands up. "I'm done. I surrender. Please take me in."

"Uh..." Evil One began, not quite sure what to think of this turn of events.

"I thought you were smarted than that," Izzy said. "Why would you..."

"I realized that I'm better off in jail than dead," Scarlett replied coolly, touching one hand to her earpiece as she looked into the distance at the ETOD. With an almost imperceptible nod of her head to Sky, Sky understood what was going on. Why Scarlett hadn't just told her she was distracting them Sky had no clue. Then again, she'd lost a lot of blood. So it was probably a wonder her intellect was working as well as it was.

"Just shoot her," Matheson growled. Izzy shrugged but nodded.

Sky rose to her feet, reloading her gun. Quickly, she aimed through the haze and fired at Matheson, whom she recognized as the most competent soldier there.

The soldier next to Matheson cried out and went down. Evil One fired at Scarlett but missed. Scarlett lurched and fell to her knees, still pressing desperately on her wound.

Izzy hung back, not being very good with firearms, unsheathing a knife for further use.

Scarlett retreated into the dusty haze, and immediately started coughing. Gunfire rang out, and the psychopath screamed as another bullet grazed her shoulder. Sky pulled her behind some of the rubble, rather roughly.

Another scream from Scarlett and Sky winced. "Sorry...it's better that than dead..."

Scarlett mumbled something incomprehensible before checking around for something at her waist. She unsheathed the knife and, hand trembling, used it to pry the earpiece from her ear-her other hand still preoccupied with the blood. She examined the skewered piece of equipment and heard noise coming through.

"Hold the blood in," Scarlett grimaced. "I need to use both hands."

Sky obliged, not sure what she was doing. She'd just have to trust Scarlett to not kill them all.

Scarlett turned a piece of the earpiece as though changing radio stations. A smile formed on her face as she reached whatever she was looking for. "The E.M.P...wasn't my only breakthrough..." she let out.

"What are you doing?" Sky asked. "Are you-"

"Max's private communication line," Scarlett grinned triumphantly.

"What? Why didn't you-"

"Max, call off your dogs currently trying to kill us. We'd like to discuss a surrender."

The gunfire over their heads stopped. A distant explosion rumbled the ground again.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Sky demanded. "What the hell are you doing? Are you with us? Against us? WHAT THE HELL?"

"I needed a clearer view of the ETOD to link us to Max," Scarlett said weakly. "All the metal and remnants of the E.M.P. were interfering with the signal. You'd be surprised what a direct view of the target you're trying to connect to can do. That is, if you've modified your earpiece to hone in on all radio waves originating from a certain point."

"If you were going to betray us," Sky snarled venemously, raising the gun towards the psychopath. "Why didn't you just do so with Izzy?"

"I'm not exactly thinking straight," Scarlett slurred. "But Izzy would never let me live."

"And Max would?" Sky's hands shook as the gun remained pointed at Scarlett's face.

Scarlett let out a cackle at this before clutching her wound once more. "You...you really have no idea, do you?" She grinned, making direct eye contact with Sky. "You really think Max is the one pulling the strings here? I am ALIVE because I am an asset to them, no matter which cause I choose to support!"

Max's tinny voice came through the speakers. It sounded like he'd spent a good five minutes talking to someone else before replying. _"Seriously? Do you think I'd let you live? After all that?"_

"Talk to Dave," Scarlett winced. "Or Noah." She laughed slightly. "See what they have to say."

It was quiet for a few moments. Sky wanted to pull the trigger but something was stopping her. She didn't quite understand what.

_"Noah says to just kill you," _Max replied finally. _"So yeah, Izzy, Matheson? Keep doing what you were doing!"_

Scarlett's eyes bugged out and Sky laughed. "Guess you didn't think that through, huh? How arrogant."

The gunfire continued and Sky lowered her weapon, realizing that Scarlett would have to cooperate if she wanted to live. "Okay, you have another way out of this apart from selling us out, _brainiac?"_

"I have...nothing..." Scarlett groaned, retching and coughing up blood.

Sky slumped against the ground. "That makes two of us. I guess we can just wait until they wise up and send in someone in here to kill us as opposed to just firing randomly over our-"

A revving engine, the sound of returning gunfire. Screams from Matheson's troops. Izzy calling for them to retreat. And the sound of footsteps crunching in the rubble.

Moreau stood over Scarlett and Sky. Smiling, he held out a hand to Sky, who gratefully accepted. "Get Scarlett medical attention," he barked.

"Wait sir," Sky said. "Scarlett tried to sell us out...tried to surrender directly to Max."

Moreau's eyes hardened as he looked down at the bleeding out psychopath. "Did you now," he said coldly, reaching for his gun. "You know...I really _despise _being betrayed," he said casually, holding the gun carelessly in his hand. "I also don't like being played for a fool. I am NO fool. I've seen this coming. Had you gained my trust, my respect...things might be different." Scarlett glared defiantly up at him. "But as it stands, I see no reason to not shoot you right-"

Sky's eardrums exploded once again as another building blew apart, courtesy of Izzy. A defiant gesture, but an overall pointless one. Moving with alarming speed, Scarlett let out an inhuman snarl as she clawed her way through the debris, blood dripping all over the place. Sky coughed violently and cursed the sudden interruption.

She was immune to the noise of gunfire now. It was a natural sound now, it felt too quiet without it. She didn't know if this was good or bad.

Moreau and his men returned fire, quickly decimating Max's men with superior firepower and willpower. Moreau sighed. "Scarlett lives to fight another day...I'll order her to be killed on sight if anyone sees her."

"Good," Sky nodded.

"Marcus and Heather should be meeting us at the ETOD for Stage 2," Moreau said, looking her over for injuries. "Can you fight?"

"Yes sir," Sky responded confidently.

Moreau let out a warm smile. "Good. We're gonna need all the help we can get."

And with that, the remaining men moved towards the ETOD.

The fight was only just beginning.

* * *

The alarms in the tower went off. Max snapped his head up as Izzy, Evil One, and Matheson returned to him. He'd ordered his most trustworthy people back up to guard him. As Moreau's forces seemed to surround the ETOD, he knew that it would be prudent to prepare for an invasion.

Scarlett's EMP had disabled his security system but the remaining soldiers he felt would be competent enough to face his men. Plus, he also had his disintegration ray. So there was that.

"Moreau's troops have entered the tower," Noah said, trying to give the impression of being calm.

Max took a deep breath, letting it in and out. "Very well." He clasped his hands together. "Izzy, Evil One, Matheson, you heard 'em. Protect the tower at any cost."

The three voiced their agreement in various ways. Max slumped in his chair, pug at his side and death ray on the table in front of him.

"It's not gonna be easy," Noah pointed out.

"I know..." Max sighed. "But I just hope that we can end this soon."

Noah looked away from Max, many thoughts going through his head at once. He considered saying some of them. He decided against it.

What would happen would happen, whether Noah liked it or not.

It was only now that he truly accepted it.

_"Security breach detected. Hostile presence in the ETOD..."_

* * *

**This was the hardest chapter in the fic to write and I have no idea how well I did on it. It might be great, might be complete shit. Let me know! I'm worried about this one, but the next two...I have no concerns about. So, until next time!**


	19. Chapter 19: Curtain

**Lades and gents, we're nearing the conclusion of Act 2. Considering my 2-year FF anniversary (and the 1 year anniversary of this fic!) is on November 23rd, I hope to have Chapter 20 up then. For now, enjoy!**

* * *

Max sat down in his throne, holding up his death ray protectively. Evil One, Izzy, Noah, and Matheson all remained at various points around the room, waiting for their respective orders. Izzy tapped her foot, shuffling with her fingers as her eye twitched.

"Okay," Noah said, seemingly breaking from his concentration. "How are our security systems?"

Max attempted to bring the turrets online, to be greeted by scrambling. "Guess their EMP sorta screwed with it," he shrugged. "It's pretty selective on what it chooses to mess with, we haven't had _too _much interference with the radio."

Noah nodded. "Well, troops will be engaging them as we speak. Izzy, can you fight them?"

"Do you want me to blow up the tower?" Izzy asked rhetorically.

"Right," Noah groaned. "Never mind. Evil One?"

"I've taken a few lessons," Evil One cracked his knuckles, trying to look confident. "I think I can-"

"Okay, yeah, whatever. You and Matheson can guard the stairs." The two nodded and exited into the hallway, guns at the ready. Noah turned to Izzy and Max, and became painfully aware that they all knew something about the conspiracy to varying degrees. He rubbed his ear anxiously before dismissing the thought and continuing on. "MIC, disable all elevators."

_"Aye aye, cap'n."_

Noah sighed and sat down. "It's hard being competent."

Max fiddled with his fingers for a bit. "It's a lot harder being incompetent."

Noah looked up at him, the sad truth written across the overlord's face. Strange, how a person's bravado could evaporate from actually trying to do their job. Maybe the plan was a bit flawed, then. The more self-aware he became, the bigger the threat. Noah silently hoped that he'd continue that path and put the pieces together with Izzy's help. All that remained was making sure they survived right here and right now.y,

"I should do something," Max said weakly, clutching the death ray like a toy. Izzy looked concerned but didn't say anything.

"You're just going to have to wait," Noah told him sympathetically. The three fell into silence as the sounds of the battle shook the tower to its very core.

The calm before the storm, then.

* * *

Moreau held the gun in his hand as they entered the lobby of the building, guns blazing. Caught by surprise, Max's troops took a few seconds to mobilize before firing back. Sky let off a round, sending two of them splattering to the floor. Within thirty seconds all of Max's forces in the room were taken care of. Moreau mused to himself. Scarlett had mentioned that only an elite few of Max's soldiers could be considered genuinely competent. Even so, it was a miracle they'd made it this far. Sky and Marcus filed in behind him while Heather skulked in the back.

"Spread out, find a way up," Moreau barked, moving swiftly towards an elevator. Sky led five men down the hall while Marcus went the other way. Heather remained with Moreau, arms folded haughtily. Moreau pressed the button on the elevator, and in a moment of typical humanity, pressed it multiple times to see if it would work.

"Guess he didn't overlook the obvious," Moreau sighed. "Pity." He turned to his men, pointing out to several technicians. "Pry this door open and see if you can get it online!"

"Moreau!" Sky called out. "We've found stairs!"

Moreau motioned for the technicians to get to work as he strode over to Sky's findings. He looked up the staircase, observing it tactically. "This is an easy spot for one person to just gun all our men down, wherever they'd want to. They wouldn't even have to use the majority of their forces."

"I can handle it, sir," Sky said, a pronounced venom in her voice. "These scum bombed civilians. Just goes to show they're all cowards."

Moreau nodded, internalizing all the things he could say to that. "If you're certain. Don't get cocky."

Sky let out a smile. "Don't worry, sir. I won't let my guard down."

Moreau spun on his heel. "You get up there, you let me know! Until then my boys will be working on getting this elevator up and running. It'll be more efficient and it'll be much less likely that we get shot."

"Understood."

Moreau left his protege behind. Marcus contacted him, letting him know that the same had been discovered on the other side. He again issued his warnings and to not take a direct path up. The stairs would bound to be a death trap.

The revolutionary sat down on the floor, closing his eyes as two of his men stood on either side of him, guns raised. He inhaled and exhaled deeply as he thought about the payoff of all his hard work. The adulation. The legacy. Peace would finally be achieved, and the world would begin to rebuild.

And of course, the sole reason that none of this was getting done with yet was because of a fucking elevator. Pricks.

* * *

At every staircase, Sky would mechanically scope to ensure that there were no shooters lying in wait to gun them down. Each time she was surprised to find nothing of the sort. It was far too quiet, too empty for it to be anything but a trap. The question simply remained; how would they spring it? Hazards would include tripwires, lazers, funny-looking stairs...Max was known for his cliches, which would hopefully help in that regard.

"Keep moving," she muttered to her soldiers as they moved up. Considering the ETOD was built off of the remnants of the 102 story Empire State Building, it was going to be quite the climb. The thought crossed Sky's mind that that could be the trap-that by the time they all reached the top they'd be too worn out to even fight anymore. She started to wonder if maybe they should have just waited for the elevator.

"Conserve your energy," she said, moving her jog down to a simple walk. "We're not in a rush. Their security system won't be back online. And we don't want to tire ourselves out."

"A little late for that," one of the soldiers wheezed. Sky ignored him. It was repetitive business. Walk, crouch, scope. Rinse, repeat. And each time the constant threat of a possible trap kept the routine going. They couldn't afford to let up for a minute.

But eventually, even Sky stopped for a break. No enemies encountered, no nothing. It was too suspicious. They had to be lying in wait somewhere. Gunfire could be heard from below and she guessed that either Marcus's or Moreau's forces had found them.

A clinging sound from above, and something dropped in her peripheral about a staircase below, where some of her men had stopped to take a break.

She realized a second too late that the sound was the unpinning of a grenade.

She screamed and ran up as the explosion killed three or four of her men. She raised her gun, furiously squinting upwards trying to locate the target. A gunshot rang out and she took cover behind the door leading to the floor-a quick glance over told her she was on the 70th floor exactly. Another two shots, and her remaining soldier's life taken. She could hear the sound of someone walking down steps. Sky took a deep breath, and stepped out into the open, ready to return fire.

Dave stared at her, gun in hand, trying to look contemptuous but not quite pulling it off. The two simply stood there for a couple seconds. Dave's glare returned and he let off another shot, grazing Sky's leg.

"The hell?" she snarled. "You again? They put you down here by yourself?"

"No," he replied, allowing himself to look a little smug. "No one told me to be here. I just heard your voice and thought I'd say hi. I called off Matheson further upstairs. He understands." He smiled, but his hands shook slightly, betraying the inner madness. "And, well, you _did _ruin my life..." His voice devolved into a whimper at this and for a second Sky could see just how pathetic he truly was. The moment passed, and a hideous snarl passed across his face. "But then you allowed me to have a _new _one, and I'm not gonna let you take it away from me-"

Sky let off a shot, and Dave screamed at the top of his lungs, dropping his gun to the ground. Another click and she realized that she needed a reload.

Dave was already coming at her-an almost suicidal move had her gun been loaded. He unsheathed the knife and brought it in a swift motion at her face. Dropping her gun as well, Sky grabbed his wrists, trying to keep the blade from skewering her. Sky tripped and the two tumbled down the stairs, smashing and bruising all the way down. The two landed at the landing of floor 69.

Dave was the first to his feet, though wobbling. He turned and ran. Sky ran for her gun, picking it up and deftly reloading it. She let off a shot but Dave turned into a room just in time. Sky followed and noticed the open door. She ran into the room and was promptly greeted by a various array of weaponry, including electrical, traditional, and something that looked like a plant launcher. Dave and two other men were firing from what appeared to be an experimental room. Thinking quickly, she shot the electrical weapon the soldier was holding.

An explosion and both soldiers were on the floor. Dave held up the plant launcher, and fired once again. Sky recognized the origin-that from the toxic remnants of Wawanakwa Island. She snarled and kicked it to the ground. Dave raised his knife and once again struggled to sheathe it in her face. Thinking quickly, she grabbed the nearest weapon as the two backed out of the room.

A sharp ringing pain in her shoulder as Dave's knife hit home. It wasn't as deep a wound as he might want, but it startled Sky enough to send her clattering to the ground next to the landing. Dave grinned as he held the knife above her, ready to end things once and for all.

"Wonder what...this does..." she sputtered, and reached out for the gun. Moving like a blur, she picked the device up and pointed it at Dave. His face scrunched up for a bit as he reacted to it.

She pulled the trigger.

What appeared to be some kind of pressurized goop launched out of it, and Dave let out a scream as it splattered him, sticking him to the wall. It was disgusting, greasy, sticky, and yet seemed to be hardening around his torso and legs, restricting his movements. Dave screamed, panicking as he frantically tried to squirm his way free.

"NO, NOT THE GREASE GUN!" Dave's face was mortified as his germaphobic tendencies acted up. "NOT THIS THING AGAIN! NO NO NO GET IT OFF GET IT OFF PLEASE JUST KILL ME YOU HAVE TO GET IT OFF! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS IS DISGUSTING!"

"Be thankful it didn't kill you," Sky grimaced as she bandaged her wound, rising to her feet as Dave continued screaming and babbling incoherently. "You just stay there until Max is taken care of, okay? I'll be back for you." Slowly, she rose to her feet and walked back towards the staircase. Dave started laughing hysterically as she was about to continue upwards.

"You still think this is about Max?" Dave said, surprisingly quiet, though still breathing heavily. "This...was _never _about Max." He started laughing again. "THIS WAS NEVER ABOUT MAX AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT!" He started laughing uncontrollably, still stuck to the wall and having seemingly given up getting out. Sky picked up the grease gun and her own pistol for further use, ignoring his ravings.

Realizing that he wasn't getting a reaction out of her, Dave calmed down. No point in going mad if there wasn't an audience. Sky didn't dare to look at him as she walked back to the stairs, guns in hand.

She continued walking.

Dave sighed, still shivering slightly. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

He'd be out of this mess soon enough.

* * *

"Retreat!"

Evil One didn't typically want to retreat, being a brave soul. But there were some points that he realized some things. For example, that his former partner was trying to kill him and would not stop until he had done so. He had hopes and dreams, dammit! He was going to record everything that went down! And, selfish as it might sound, there was no way he was doing that dead.

Of course, there was also no way he was sacrificing the four men he had left defending against their onslaught. So he was in a bit of a conundrum.

Well, not anymore. Now he and his remaining men were hightailing it back to Max's room with their tails between their legs. "Okay, if anyone asks," Evil One said. "They drove us back, and we had no choice."

"Lazy bastard," one of the men muttered, and received a glare from the normally docile dope. The sound of gunfire and Evil One's eyes widened. Matheson was shooting at several men emerging from the staircase to the west. Evil One recognized Sky among them. Shit, guess they must have had trouble too.

"How many?" Evil One asked the brute as he joined in shooting at them.

"Maybe seven or so," Matheson grunted. "Wouldn't be too hard to take down if Sky weren't with him."

"She's the Olympic gymnast and marksman, right?"

"Eeyup."

"Fuck."

The men continued firing from in front of Max's throne room. "We have any more men in here?" Evil One asked.

"Majority are still outside," Matheson explained. "Still a lotta shit going on out there. Just gotta bear with it."

The sound of an elevator ding, and Evil One's stomach contracted a little bit. "Hey..."

"Yeah?"

"Didn't Max disable the elevators?"

Matheson allowed the implications to sink into his face and his eyes widened. "Well shit." He turned to the men. "HALF OF YOU GUN FOR THE ELEVATOR, THEY'RE COMING!"

Evil One raised his gun and motioned for troops to move forward. Automatic gunfire and one of them clutched his throat, gurgling blood as he fell to the ground. The scrub whimpered and raised his gun as enemy troops advanced from both sides.

"How the hell did they get this far..." His voice wavered in genuine fear. Would they kill him? Or would they take prisoners? He sometimes wondered if it was actually worth it to get involved with Max. History or not, he'd be no use dead.

"Move inside," Matheson barked at all the remaining men, and they filed inside Max's throne room, depleted of ammunition and will. The door slammed shut behind them and the sound of torches from the other side filled the air. More explosions from outdoors, reminding them that the battle was far from over outside the tower.

"How did they get this far?" Max asked anxiously. "I thought we'd at least be able to halt them!"

"They're pretty crafty," Evil One wheezed, reloading his gun. "Izzy, I think you might have to blow them up."

"I don't think the building would be able to sustain that," she said cautiously. "The ETOD, especially the upper levels were a bit less sturdy than the Empire State Building that came before it."

"I think I have an escape plan should the need arise," Max sniffed, glancing at a button on his desk. He held up his death ray. "But I'd prefer not to use it. I'd like to blast that smug prick into a billion pieces."

"You're not the only one," Evil One growled, holding up his weapon as the resistance continued to break through the door. "He really pisses me off."

"Yeah, he's a hypocrite," Izzy said cheerfully, juggling a knife in her hand. "And I'm ready to show them who's boss!"

Matheson grunted and said nothing, but reloaded his gun. The remaining men did so as well. All of them remained with their weapons pointed at the door, simply waiting for them to get in.

"Do you think you should just open the door and blast them with the death ray?" Evil One asked curiously.

"No," Max said, still holding the death ray up. "Let them work a bit, it's funny."

The sparks stopped, the sound of torches gone. Max's forces stood in silence for a few seconds in mild confusion.

A beeping sound from the door, quickly increasing in speed. Their eyes widened and an explosion from the door blew it off its hinges. Using the split second distraction, Moreau and his men opened fire, entering the room and using smoke to obscure them. Max aimed at several enemy soliders, and fired, blasting them into smithereens. Izzy laughed as she stabbed several of them. Marcus proceeded to shoot at Evil One, who cowered behind Max's throne. And Moreau himself led the charge, gunning for Max as Sky provided cover fire.

Max blasted a few more enemy men before yelling as one of Sky's shots grazed his shoulder. He turned to face her, raising the death ray and preparing to end her life.

A kick, and Moreau sent the death ray scattering to the ground. Max squealed as the revolutionary picked him up by his collar, pointing a gun to his head. Moreau turned to the rest of the fight, a triumphant grin on his face.

"CEASE FIRE OR THE MORON GETS IT!" Moreau yelled out, and suddenly all gunplay stopped in the room as they realized what Moreau had done. Matheson looked moderately concerned, while Izzy stared wide-eyed at the scene before her. Evil One cowered at Moreau's feet, who looked at him pitilessly before kicking him to the ground.

Izzy, Matheson, and the other remaining soldiers placed their weapons on the ground, and put their hands up in the air. Sky and Marcus quickly kicked the weapons away from them, their guns pointed at the survivors. Quietly in the back, Heather slipped into the room, looking pleased with the turn of events.

"It's over," Moreau said, dropping Max to the ground, although still keeping his gun pointed at him. "Max Hiscock-"

"Vile," Max snarled.

Moreau glanced down at him contemptfully before continuing. "Max Hiscock, you are under arrest for the systematic execution of billions and crimes against humanity." Sky smiled as she walked up next to him, finally seeing the purple-haired coward as a wreck at their feet.

"You will stand trial for everything you've done," Moreau said calmly but satisfactorily. "And I assure you, you will be executed."

Max let out a laugh at this. Marcus and the other remaining resistance members continued pointing their guns at Max's men. Izzy looked to be trying to find a way to turn the tide, while Evil One was just cowering. Matheson's face was inscrutable.

"What's so funny?" Sky said, as Max continued laughing on the ground. "You lost! You'll never pollute the world with your evil again!"

"What...what evil?" Max asked, still giggling. "I mean, I figured out where I went wrong...I was gonna change..." He continued laughing, tears in his eyes. "But...I guess you guys changed for me."

"What are you TALKING about?" Sky snarled, furious. "You haven't changed at all! I SAW the bombings! I SAW what you did to them! The people who came to see your rally! You're a monster and I can't wait to watch you DIE!"

Max looked up, bewildered. "Wait...you think I...bombed those people?"

Sky looked ready to erupt. "YES!" she screamed exasperatedly, on the verge of tears.

"Don't let him talk," Moreau said, still pointing his gun at him. "He's more manipulative than he looks. We should contact all our forces, let them know we've captured-"

"Why would I do that?" Max asked, interrupting him. "Why would I bomb my people? What would I have to gain from that?"

"I don't know!" Sky yelled. "Fear? Respect? How am _I _supposed to know how your twisted mind works?"

Izzy glanced down at the knife about five feet away from her, ready to make a move should the need arise. She exchanged a glance at Matheson, and it was clear they were both thinking the same thing.

"I didn't do it," Max replied defiantly, sure about what he was saying for possibly the first time in his life. "I lost what respect I had. Now who would gain from all that?"

"Sky, shut him up-" Moreau sighed, exasperated.

"NO, LISTEN!" Max screamed. "You soldiers came in here with an anger-something that probably made you win! But it was righteous, right? I'm the _big scary bad guy _who kills his own citizens! No, YOU LISTEN HERE." Max shoved a finger at Moreau. "HE'S the one who did it! I know it! HE WAS USING YOU TO GET HERE AND TAKE ME DOWN!"

It was silent in the room. Izzy and Evil One both looked terrified. All notion of fighting back was forgotten as everyone stared at the scene unraveling before them.

Sky remained silent for a moment, biting her lip before responding. "You're lying...there's no way Moreau would...he wouldn't do that..."

"Then he shouldn't have a problem telling you he's innocent," Max sneered. "Go on, ask him."

Moreau remained silent, stone-faced. Sky turned to look at him, tears in her eyes. "Sir...did you...did you order the deaths of all those people?"

The revolutionary remained silent for a moment, staring at the floor. The silence was deafening. After a few seconds Sky took a breath to say something, but Moreau began talking, interrupting her.

"How many people has Max killed, hmn?" Moreau spat out, a venom in his voice that made Evil One want to crawl under a rock and never come out. "How many lives has he ruined? People have lost their families to this _manchild_. The common folk tend to be deformed due to the radiation poisoning. This _moron _has killed billions." Moreau seemed to bare his teeth at Max, looking down at him from above. He laughed slightly. "So why is it suddenly a big deal to let a few more die to provide my men with the courage they needed to take him down?"

Sky's eyes widened and her arms began to shake, gun in hand.

"You monster..." Izzy snarled, clenching her fists.

Moreau looked around as the victory was wiped off the faces of his men. "I don't see what the big deal is!" he hissed. "We've won! We beat him! He will NEVER kill anyone else AGAIN. And suddenly I'm the bad guy for allowing a bit of collateral damage?"

"You used us," Sky said quietly, voice quavering ever so slightly. "You used _me. _Just to get what you want."

"Don't pretend you didn't want it too!" Moreau sneered. "Isn't this what we ALL wanted? I fail to see how MY actions are ANY worse than his!"

Sky turned her gun on Moreau. "I...I think I see. I think..." Sky looked at her former employer with a measure of disgust and pity. "You wanted to be the hero. You wanted to save the day. And I think you actually _believe _what you're saying, don't you?" Sky's arms shook as tears went down her face. "You're _selfish. That's _what you are. You did what you thought was right, but for _all _the wrong reasons."

Moreau's mouth dropped open slightly as he stared bewildered at his former protege. Marcus continued pointing his gun at Max's remaining men, his face inscrutable.

"Sky..." he said meekly, before his face hardened. "Sky, I order you to drop your weapon at once. You do not threaten a commanding officer."

"You said you cared about the people," Sky growled. "I see now that all you care about is your ego."

"No, Sky, I care about them," Moreau said, seemingly sincere as he walked toward her, hands outstretched. "Please just calm down, it'll be okay..."

Sky started to lower her gun, and Moreau lunged with a stun baton in hand. Quickly, Sky let out a shot. Moreau screamed as he fell the floor, clutching his stomach.

Izzy inched closer to the knife, aware that it would soon be now or never.

"I'm sorry," Moreau sobbed. "I just...I needed you to calm down..." He scrambled as he pressed his hands against the wound. Sky dropped her gun to the ground and began sobbing freely. "I...I meant what I said...I want the people to thrive..." He looked up at Sky. "But I think you're right..."

Sky stepped backwards, raising the gun at him. "I don't think you should be in charge, sir..."

"If you're going to shoot me, shoot me," Moreau said calmly from the ground. "I'd prefer you not, obviously, but...do what you think is right." He looked up at her in determination. "And I'll do what I think is mine, right until my dying breath."

Sky remained silent before steadying her aim, looking her boss straight in the eyes as she raised the gun.

The sound of a gunshot filled the air. For a moment Max thought he had detached from his body. The sound felt too far away.

Then he looked to see that Sky had not fired, and both her and Moreau were looking in confusion at where it had come from.

Where the doors had once been, Alejandro held a gun in his hands as he stood wide-eyed at the scene in front of him. The resistance troops slowly turned to see the new arrival, and

"Alright, weapon on the ground and hands in the air!" Marcus yelled, gun in hand.

"Okay, okay," Alejandro said, placing his gun on the ground. He rose to his feet, hands in the air. "I tried to come here to help, but it looks like I was too late." He glanced around the scene, before settling his eyes on Heather.

"You..." Heather growled, stalking towards him.

"Heather..." Alejandro said, moving towards her as well.

"Stop moving!" One of the resistance members yelled. "Turn to us and put your hands in the air!"

Both Alejandro and Heather seemed to ignore him. "Just who do you think you are, not keeping in touch all that time?" Heather sneered.

"What, do you think I'd ever willingly associate with you?" Alejandro replied with equal venom. "You _did _run off and take Signal Industries assets with you, _remember?"_

"Are you still spouting that line to everyone?" Heather asked, in repugnant disbelief. "Why are you here?"

"What's going on?" Izzy asked confusedly.

"I think our time is up," Alejandro said. "Or at least, I can't afford to be away from you any longer."

And with that, the Spaniard drew Heather in for a deep, passionate kiss. The room was silent as everyone stood in bewilderment.

Eventually, they separated, Alejandro laughing slightly. "It's been too long."

"What the hell is going on?" Max called as Moreau continued trying to keep the blood in. Sky, Evil One, and Izzy all racked their brains trying to figure out what was going on. A thought came into Izzy's mind, several things clicking into place at once.

"Matheson? Marcus?" Alejandro pointed them out casually. "I believe that we don't really need witnesses to this. You're free to do as you please now."

"What?" Izzy barked.

Matheson and Marcus both smiled, and turned his gun to the remaining soldiers, both Max's and Moreau's. They opened fire, taking them by surprise. Efficiently, they gunned down all those who were deemed too insignificant. Soon, blood stained the floor from both sides, and Marcus and Moreau trained their guns on the remaining people, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

"What the hell is going on here?" Max yelled. "Alejandro, what do you think you're doing? You have no power here, so where do you get off on this? And why are those men obeying you?"

"For once I agree with him," Moreau muttered.

A smirk passed across Alejandro's face as he and Heather stood calmly and close to each other. Izzy gulped, the reality of Max's rise to power, the resistance, the company list that Noah had forwarded her to. Everything was falling into place and she felt like throwing up.

Alejandro grinned proudly as he and Heather stood close together, arms folded. "Well, the jig is up everyone! Max, I believe I've been rather rude and haven't _officially _introduce ourselves to you!" Gesturing to the whole room, he addressed them all, intertwining his hand with Heather's.

"Meet your _benefactors,_ Max!" he said, beaming from head to toe. "And _man_ does it feel good to say that!"

The room stared in stunned silence at the two, until it became slightly awkward.

Alejandro glanced around, meeting the eyes of everyone before throwing up his arms in a shrug.

"What? I thought it was obvious."

* * *

**Well that was certainly a thing. This was probably my favorite chapter to write. I hope you enjoyed, and that it wasn't TOO obvious a twist. There's no return now, so hold onto your butts.**

**Thank you all for reading and see you next time for the conclusion of Act 2!**


	20. Chapter 20: Misanthrope

**We've reached the end of Act 2, and may I say that it's been a blast. Thanks to everyone who's consistently reviewed this fic. So yeah! Enjoy and have a good day. :)**

* * *

It was a coward's move to be sure, but Noah was fleeing.

He'd already been on the verge of getting himself killed with all the hints he'd been slipping to Izzy and her less intelligent yet more logical companion. Having Moreau and Max in the same room had always been the end of the phase, but whether or not Alejandro and Heather would reveal themselves was a mystery. It was likely though, their egos could only take so much. He knew that his usefulness to them would end. He and Dave were representatives, emissaries for a conspiracy that wanted to keep itself secret.

Especially with how he'd been acting recently, Noah could only see himself getting shot in the head. Dave, too. The poor guy was fanatically devoted to those two, and it was clear to anyone with a brain that they didn't give a damn about him. He almost felt sorry for the guy. Almost.

Quickly, he stumbled over the rubble out in the open as the fighting continued around him. He had an idea of where to go to lay low. He still had access to several communication channels and if they didn't know already, he felt it was time that people knew the truth about how Max had been put into power. Then he would help bring down the bastards who started it all.

_You're leaving them behind to die. _The thought lingered inside his head, no matter what he did.

No. They could escape. They could figure it out. They could fight back.

_So why aren't you?_

* * *

Max stared in shock at the two conspirators standing before him. Izzy looked like a curtain had been opened, while Evil One and Sky looked confused. Moreau grimaced as he continued to try to keep in the blood, but still took the time to stare lividly at Alejandro and Heather, fury written on his features.

"Explain," Sky said, voice low as she turned the gun to Al and Heather. Heather nodded to Marcus and Matheson, and directed their guns at her, reminding her who was in charge.

"Weapon on the ground, Sky," Heather said casually. "That goes for all of you." Matheson eyed the death ray on the ground, and kicked it over to Alejandro. The manipulator smirked and picked it up, testing it around a bit.

"About out of charge, but probably good for one more shot," he commented. "Well, Sky? I guess considering the majority of people here deserve an explanation, we might as well give you one."

"I don't recommend it sir," Matheson commented, training his gun on Sky. "Which of them do you want to leave alive?"

"Matheson, I don't think you know how long we've been planning this," Heather said condescendingly. "This has been our _life _for a long time."

"So are you going to brag or just shoot us?" Moreau coughed.

"Shoot you?" Alejandro looked offended. "Shooting you or Max would be suicide! A public execution provides all the closure the people need." He smirked. "I could leave your friends alive, if you cooperate. The question is, which one of you is willing to be my puppet king?"

"Why would we ever do that?" Max snarled. "You've been lying this whole time!"

Alejandro laughed. "Well, yeah. We're responsible for your rise to power. You recall the deal set up with Signal Industries?"

"My benefactor would pay for their weapons to start with, then when I was on my feet I would pay on my own..." Max mused. "But...if you _were _the benefactor..."

"We were giving you our services for free, until after which you started paying, putting even more money into our account" Heather smirked, turning her eyes to Sky and Moreau. "And I had you pay for the weapons I'd 'stolen,' right?"

Sky curled her fists as she glared at them. "You tricked us...why? Why would you do that? Why would you _kill _all those people?"

Evil One looked ready to strangle Heather, Alejandro, and Marcus with his bare hands. "What about you?" He yelled, roughly pointing at Marcus. "How'd you get involved?"

"Remember that time Max had us rob a bank on the budget of his mom's money?" Marcus asked rhetorically. "Well, I got _jailed _because of that. These guys saw and appreciated my talent, _James. _They got me out of jail and having an excuse to get revenge on this MORON was good enough!"

"I'm sorry, please..." Max began, before Alejandro interrupted.

"I believe your more personal feud is of lower consequence," he stated smugly. "You want to know why we did this? We did it because we could. We did it because in the end, we're smarter and better than you. And the power and knowledge that we're the best is all the pay we'll ever need."

Alejandro grinned, but something about his spiel rang false. Heather seemed to look away as he said it.

"So what now?" Izzy barked, still glancing at the knife several feet from her. The longer they could keep the conspirators talking, the better. Max exchanged a glance with her and he almost imperceptibly glanced at his desk. Maybe it was freak telepathy, but they understood the other's meaning.

"What about Noah?" Izzy continued. "Or Dave? How'd they get involved with this? Speaking of which, where's Noah?"

"Noah was a smart cookie, he joined us later to keep a more objective eye on everything," Alejandro explained. "I was aware of his efforts to undermine us but I calculated correctly that he wouldn't have enough time. You might as well destroy that file he got you, it's useless to you now. And as for where he is...I don't know." He shrugged. "Must have fled like the coward he is."

Max inched closer to his desk as all the attention was on Alejandro and Izzy. Izzy continued talking. "And Dave? Is he just an asshole? Ha, I knew it!"

"Dave..." Alejandro hesitated. "Dave is an interesting case. We rescued him from the island and ever since he's been obsessed with pleasing us. Particularly me. It's unhealthy."

"So now what?" Evil One asked, and made sure that everyone's attention was on him as Max slowly edged closer to the desk, the button in clear sight. "Why reveal yourselves now?"

"Moreau won," Heather said calmly. "But we could tell that Sky was about to kill him, weren't you? We can't take the throne ourselves without looking suspicious and the plan was _always _to have one of you be in control while we directly controlled you. If we didn't step in, we'd have no ruler and things would be a BIT awkward."

"You had Max for years!" Izzy protested.

"Well, yes," Alejandro replied smoothly. "But when a dictator takes control, _anything _looks better in comparison. Either Max has a change of heart, follows up on his promise and we control him to rule this world, or we threaten Moreau into doing what we want once he's done. There are a _multitude _of outcomes that are to our advantage, and this is one of them."

"Sir, you've talked _enough," _Matheson growled.

"He's right," Max smirked, hand over the button. Sky and Moreau looked over in confusion, while Izzy grabbed the knife, throwing it into Matheson's leg.

Max pressed the button and the trapdoor in his office opened, lava underneath. "MIC, escape slide!" he yelled, cannonballing in.

_"My pleasure."_

A metal chute materialized in place of the lava and he cackled as he slid down, followed closely by Izzy.

Taking advantage of the confusion, Evil One and Sky managed to enter the chute, while Moreau clawed weakly at the ground. Matheson and Marcus let off several shots, but the door sealed.

"Dammit, DAMMIT!" Alejandro snarled, looking ready to strangle something or someone.

"Sir, I warned you," Matheson pointed out. Marcus shrugged and nodded in agreement.

"Head them off at the lobby or the helicopter pad," Heather said, placing a supportive hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. "It'll be fine, we'll get them."

Alejandro spun on his heel and walked angrily towards the door. "Matheson, keep an eye on Moreau," he hissed. The brute nodded and acknowledged his orders.

The three walked past what remained of Max's door. "Kill them all on sight," he said venomously. "Leave Max alive, a public execution is necessary for him."

"What about Moreau?" Marcus asked hesitantly.

"He'll come around to our way of thinking," Heather said calmly.

"Alejandro!" a voice called out. The three turned to see a figure crawling from the stairs on the floor. Dave slowly staggered to his feet, chunks of goop and grease everywhere and giving him a rather deranged appearance. His face was exuberant, but he quickly adjusted himself. "What happened here? Where's Max?"

"The charade's up, Max knows about us," Alejandro said matter-of-factly. "You can drop the act."

Dave's shoulders relaxed and he laughed. "Really? Man, it took long enough. How are we taking care of them? Can I help? Mmmmay I? Help?"

"I'll bring Dave up to speed," Alejandro told Heather and Marcus. "Heather, you make sure they don't escape with a helicopter. Marcus, head down to the lobby."

"Sounds good," Marcus shrugged, while Heather nodded. Heather pressed the elevator button and both doors opened, blood stains inside from Moreau's ascend. Marcus and Heather got into them both, and the doors closed behind them.

"Ooh, I'd like to head them off too!" Dave said cheerfully after the doors closed, pressing the button again. "I'll just press the button so when you're finished bringing me up to speed we can go down too!"

"I'll be staying up to coerce Moreau into declaring the conflict over," Alejandro explained, feeling the weight of his gun and realizing that he was out of ammo. He'd have to rely on his knife.

Dave sighed. "Oh, okay sir...it's just...I've been looking forward to killing Max for a LONG time. With anyone else I'd probably have deserted but not you!" He laughed again, cheerfully demented as he turned back towards the elevator. "I _know _I'd never betray you."

"I know you wouldn't," Alejandro muttered, unsheathing his knife. "Out of everyone I've ever worked with, I'd suspect you the least of betrayal. Which is why I apologize in advance."

"What?" Dave turned back towards Alejandro, a dawning realization in his eyes.

Alejandro thrust, and with surprising speed Dave moved. A second later and the knife would have pierced his chest but instead the knife wedged inside his stomach. Slowly, Dave looked down at the wound in his stomach, before moving his eyes up to meet Alejandro's, looking completely heartbroken.

"A-after all I did for you?" he whimpered, hands shaking once again. "AFTER ALL I DID FOR YOU!" An ugly, insane look passed across his face as he wrenched the knife out. Alejandro backed up, trying to see if his gun would work.

"You were a representative," he explained. "Now that we're out in the open, you're no longer needed. My apologies, but it's the way it works."

The elevator door opened, and Alejandro took advantage of the noise to quickly aim a punch for Dave. Dave stumbled backwards into the elevator and rose his gun, his arms shaking badly as he fired. Alejandro quickly moved out of the way, but the shots wouldn't have hit him anyway. Dave scrambled to his feet and slammed his hand on the Lobby button.

"I'll kill you for this!" Dave snarled, hunching over in the elevator as the door closed. "I'LL KILL YOU-"

The door closed, and Alejandro stood there for several moments, in slight shock.

The moments passed, and he got onto his headset. "Marcus?"

_"Yeah?"_

"Dave's on the way down in the elevator, shoot him when he gets down there."

_"You got it."_

* * *

The chute shifted slightly after Izzy and Max had entered it, and suddenly Evil One and Sky found themselves being hurtled in a separate slide for no real reason whatsoever. I suppose it was just a malfunction, but what do I know? I didn't design it.

The two continued screaming for a while as they continued sliding down the huge amounts of floors. Finally, they landed in a foam pit, which was somewhat uncomfortable to land on after having been hurtled down an entire tower. It was still significantly more welcoming than cold hard concrete.

"Ow," Evil One said quietly, as the two lay there for a few seconds, trying to regain their bearings.

"What floor are we on?" Sky groaned, slowly getting up and struggling to get out of the foam pit.

Evil One glanced at a sign. "Um...53rd floor. I think this is the helipad floor. Max set it up so that it would either go to the ground floor or this floor, they're the two escape routes. There should be a helicopter over here."

Sky got out and helped Evil One out. "Don't think we're friends just because we were both manipulated by the same people," she said coldly.

"Well, that's not nice," Evil One pouted as they started walking, reloading their guns as they went. "If we're gonna take those assholes down we should work together, right? So we should introduce ourselves. Hi, I'm Evil One! Nice to meet-"

The sound of gunfire and Sky quickly brought several of Max's soldiers down. Evil One frowned at this. "I could have explained it to them," he said as they walked over their bodies.

"No time," Sky explained breathlessly, following the signs to the helicopter pad. "Believe me, I'd love to explain it to them too but they'll kill us if they have the chance."

An open door and they were on a roof, a helicopter in sight. Several figures stood guard, and Sky's keen eyes made out Heather with her arms crossed, standing behind several goons.

Automatic fire and Sky groaned, ducking behind the door. "I'm really tired of being shot at today," she sighed.

"That makes two of us!" Evil One replied, still seemingly trying to at least get the two of them to tolerate each other.

"Quiet," Sky growled, before returning fire, dropping one goon. She moved out behind an air conditioner unit on the roof. After several more shots, Sky went to reload and cursed as she found she was out of ammo.

"You have any rounds left?" she demanded angrily.

Evil One fired as a test and gave a thumbs up. "It's my last round, make it count." He slid the gun to Sky and she quickly took aim and fired, missing the first couple of shots before dropping the second goon. She pulled the trigger at Heather but it rang empty. Quickly, she sprinted, knowing from experience that Heather had no combat training and thus would be relatively easy to beat.

Evil One ran as well, but a bit more cautious, not really knowing that Heather currently had no guns on her. Sky snarled and with a running punch dropped Heather to the ground, slamming against the helicopter.

"You _lied _to us," she hissed at Heather, who struggled to her feet. Evil One quickly entered the helicopter, giving the thumbs up. He wasn't the best pilot but it'd do.

"So did Moreau, what's the difference?" Heather asked, spitting out blood as Sky loomed over her, seemingly ready to cut her to pieces. "You were gonna kill him. You gonna kill me too?"

"I'd very much like to," Sky said, seemingly calm but on the verge of tears.

Quickly, Heather reached out with a stun baton, jabbing Sky in the stomach, electrocuting her.

Evil One ran out of the vehicle, and without hesitation punched Heather in the head, knocking her to the ground. Sky stumbled, coughing weakly.

"Come on, let's go," Evil One groaned as he dragged Sky into the helicopter.

"She needs to pay..." Sky whimpered, still smoking. "She..."

"Not in the shape you're in," Evil One replied, starting up the helicopter. _Max, Izzy..._he thought to himself, gulping as they took off, leaving Heather's unconscious body on the roof. _We're coming for you._

"Let's go."

* * *

"Why would you put a foam pit at the bottom? Not that I'm complaining. It's _awesome, _but why?"

Max groaned, slowly getting up out of the first floor foam pit, Izzy at his heels. "Well, so we're not dead. Obviously. Let's get out of here, quickly."

"Where to, though?" Izzy asked. "Where's Evil One and Sky? I thought I saw them above us!"

"The escape chute...isn't perfect," Max grimaced, helping Izzy out of the pit as they examined where they were in relation to the entrance. "We should try to find them. If they got to the helipad they could pick us up..." He tapped his headset. "Evil One! Come in!"

Only static. Max cursed. "Guess they're blocking our radio..."

"Let's just hope for the best!" Izzy smiled, holding a knife in her hands. Max nodded and the two began jogging through the halls.

The two ran through the halls, Max still having to use the sign to find the way to the lobby. "I don't remember down here being this big..." he muttered.

"Well, how far are we from the exit?" Izzy asked. "And will anyone try to stop us?"

"Well, they certainly don't want to let us walk free," Max sneered. "Alejandro thinks he's so smart, but right now our forces and Moreau's are still fighting each other. And all of Moreau's forces in the building were upstairs."

"So we're just counting on Evil One to make it to a helicopter and get us out of here? What then?"

Max looked crestfallen. "I don't know...I honestly don't know."

"Well, we'll improvise!" Izzy said, trying to cheer him up. "It's what we do best! Now let's get out of...here..."

The two slowed their run and came to a stop in the lobby. Marcus lay on the floor, unconscious, with Dave kneeling over him. "It's okay," he said softly. "I get it, I won't kill you."

"Dave? What's going on?" Max demanded angrily. Slowly Dave rose to his feet, turning to Max and Izzy, eyes bloodshot.

"Oh," he muttered, gripping his hand to his gun. "It's _you."_

"Get out of our way," Izzy said. "I'll kung fu you. I really will."

"What are you doing?" Max demanded.

"Al turned on me," Dave croaked, gesturing to the bandaged wound in his stomach. "Tried to...tried to kill me." His hands shook. "My whole life...just..." He looked ready to cry, and probably already had. "I dedicated _years _to him and he tossed me aside like garbage!" He bared his teeth. "Well, I'm done with _him."_

"You could help us, couldn't you?" Izzy asked.

To this, Dave let out a bitter laugh. "Nah," he said, raising his gun at them. "I think...I think I'll just KILL YOU TOO-"

Izzy sprinted at him in the middle of his spiel, kicking the gun out of his hands and sending him clattering to the ground. "Sorry, not sorry," she said cheerfully. "Don't have time for you. Gotta jet!"

Dave groaned from on the floor and Max gave a thumbs up. "Good job, now let's get out of here!" he yelled, and the two ran for the front door.

"You sure Evil One will get there?" Izzy asked anxiously.

"Yeah," Max responded. "I'm sure. He _has _to be."

Izzy smiled reassuringly. "Well, I'll let him know that we believe in him! Let's just first get out of this fucking-"

A shot rang out, echoing across the room.

Izzy stopped, and Max turned, slowly seeing the blood spread across her back.

Another shot hit her neck, and a sputtering sound escaped her throat. Then another missed entirely. A fourth shot grazed her knee. The fifth shot missed again. The sixth and final shot embedded itself in the back of her skull.

Izzy fell to the ground, sputtering from her neck as blood began to seep from her wounds.

"NO!" Max yelled, falling to her side as her eyes stared at a spot in the sky, still coughing and sputtering, unable to form words.

Dave stood with the gun in his hand, his entire body shaking as his mouth opened in a triumphant and broken grin. The gun fell to the floor.

"Don't die, please don't..." Max pleaded as the life began to fade from his first true friend in the world. And possibly his last.

"That's dramatic," Dave commented as Max continued pleading for her not to die. He laughed slightly. "Feels like I'm in a movie." He smiled vacantly, eyes glossy.

The life left Izzy's eyes, and Max sobbed as he knelt over her corpse. Dave let him do so for a few seconds, before slowly moving towards him. "I'm a better shot than I seem," Dave commented in a monotone voice. "I just get nervous easily." His smile grew wider. "I don't have anything to get nervous about anymore."

The tears stopped, and Max turned to Dave, giving him a glare that could melt metal. With an inhuman snarl he hurtled himself at Dave.

The sound of a knife, and a pain in his stomach. Max looked down, gasping slightly as Dave pulled out the knife. Max fell to the ground, bleeding. Dave knelt down next to him.

"I always hated you, Max," Dave said softly, sheathing his knife. "I hated you on the island, I hated having to work for you. But I put up with it because Alejandro asked me to."

_"Fuck you," _Max hissed, coughing.

"I won't kill you because I want you to know how it _feels," _Dave smiled, a broken glare in his eye. "How it feels to have everything but your life taken from you. I'll leave you to him." He slowly started to his feet, before remembering something and kneeling back down. "Oh, and don't worry. Al's gonna pay too. But I actually need to be smart about him." He rose to his feet again, dusting himself off and limping away through the front door.

"Good luck, Max."

With a wave of his hand, Dave limped out of the building. Max continued sobbing softly, trying to keep the blood in as he curled up on the floor. When Alejandro's men arrived, they found him in the same exact position. He hadn't even tried to move.

It was done.

* * *

The sound of cameras snapping pictures. The long-overdue press. Moreau's forces had emerged victorious and Max had been captured and imprisoned. Everyone was buzzing. Slowly, the remaining citizens were being filtered back into the city to resume their jobs and observe the carnage.

And of course, to hear the speech that Moreau would be making at the foot of the ETOD. Rumors were abound of just how they'd been taken down. Some witnesses reported seeing an Indian man fleeing through a passage hidden in the subway system. Or that Moreau's forces had found a bleeding red-haired woman that had fought in the battle viciously. She'd been bleeding out in the city streets, and supposedly they had taken her in.

Those who knew who Scarlett was questioned this decision, but said nothing to Moreau. He'd won them the day, after all. It wasn't really the right time to question his judgment.

The crowd gathered at the foot of the ETOD. Slowly, Moreau exited, bandaged and with his arm in a sling. Immediately, a wall of sound hit his eardrums.

The crowd was cheering. Chanting his name.

He was the hero.

He'd won. Right?

Moreau looked out over the masses applauding and cheering for him, his accomplishments. Max had bombed them, and shown his true colors. Now they'd truly been liberated.

Marcus stood behind him and to his left, gun in hand. For protection, of course.

Moreau glanced down at the sheet that had been handing him, and with the guns behind him as a constant reminder, he began. The applause died as he addressed them.

"For many years I've fought to see Max stripped of his power. He killed and mutated billions upon billions of innocent lives. And it is with great satisfaction that I report that Max has been taken into custody. He will be executed in two weeks' time." He paused, tears in his eyes. He hid his shaking hand in his suit pocket.

"For the longest time his callousness and stupidity ruined the lives of everyone around him. _That is no more! _From now on, we will be working to REFORM this rule, by ANY means necessary! It will not be easy. It will take GENERATIONS to undo what he did. But I have faith in you all." He choked on his words slightly, veering dangerously close to breaking down. "I have faith that...that we'll make it through this." He shivered, clearly on the verge of crying.

"Go home today knowing that you have been freed! That we will work to undo all the horrors he's created! Go home tonight knowing that _we have won!"_

At this, the crowd burst into cheers, and Moreau began to cry, his stomach turning with the implications of what he'd just done.

"Thank you," he said into the microphone. "And good night."

He turned away and limped back inside, crying openly.

Alejandro slipped his arm around Moreau's shoulder, smiling in a seemingly friendly way that in no way made Moreau feel comfortable. They could still hear the cheers from inside closed doors, but they were muted.

"Your pathos is amazing," Alejandro commented. "You know how to work a crowd. Nicely done! You'll make an excellent ruler."

"You'll pay for this," Moreau seethed, voice low as he continued crying. "No one manipulates me..."

Alejandro put on a mock pouting face, slipping arm off of Moreau. "That's a shame..." He smiled sadistically. "Because we've been manipulating every move you've ever made. Look at it this way. We're giving you everything you ever wanted...you want to be the hero, right? To rule the people? Well, you'll _have _that legacy." Smirking, he gave Moreau a pat on the shoulder as he walked away. "Keep up the good work!"

Alejandro didn't let up his smirk as Heather slipped in beside him, her head heavily bandaged. "Scarlett's recovering in the hospital wing," Heather informed him. "I don't advise keeping her alive. She's turned on every side she's been on."

"I know how to work her," Alejandro said dismissively. "I'll simply give her the chance to channel her psychopathy in any way she wants! As long as she doesn't harm us."

"As long as," Heather rolled her eyes. "She's too dangerous."

"I'm not concerned about her," Alejandro said as they entered the elevator, heading to the top floor. "I'm personally more concerned about Noah and Dave. Any news?"

"None," Heather sighed. "They've both gone AWOL. We can thank Dave for Max not escaping, though. He was pretty cruel."

"I'd forgotten how cruel he could be when he'd been wronged..." Alejandro muttered, entering a meditative state for a few moments. "Once we find him he's easy pickings. As for Noah, we'll just have to draw him out."

"What about the other two?" Heather asked. "Sky, and the moron?"

"I'm not too terribly concerned about them," Alejandro shrugged. "But, I won't underestimate them. The drones will be sent to kill all of them. Take no chances, right?"

"Yeah..." Heather said, sounding a bit uncertain. The elevator door rang and the two walked out. Alejandro walked through the reinstalled door to Max's throne room, taking a deep, contented breath.

He collapsed into Max's chair, sighing in relief. "It's been forever since I've sat down," he said. "It's been a busy time of it."

Heather nodded quietly. "I'll be in my bedroom," Heather said, allowing a smirk to cross her face. "But I'll see you tonight?"

"Of course," Alejandro replied with a grin. "It's been too long."

Heather nodded and turned around, exiting the room.

Alejandro's grin faded, and he spun around in the chair to see the carnage before him.

It was completely silent in the room as he stared vacantly at all those who were now openly beneath him, not moving in the slightest.

Slowly, his eyes began to close. His tiredness took over and one last sleepy thought pierced his thoughts before he lost consciousness.

_Isn't this what we..._

* * *

**END OF ACT II**

* * *

**There are, in any story that is planned out ahead of time, scenes that are planned from the story's inception.**

**This entire chapter was one of them. This chapter was clear and vivid in my head even though the context sometimes changed. This has been my absolute favorite chapter to write, and thus I hope it was similarly as good a chapter to read.**

**Everyone's cards are now face up. All allegiances have been declared. It's a completely new playing field, and not everyone will survive.**

**Happy one-year anniversary everyone, and have a good day. **

**Ciao.**


	21. Chapter 21: Reconfiguration

**Ladies and gentlemen, we're back for Act 3! Anyways, a small note about something that might or might not be happening.**

**While planning out Act 3 it came to my attention that there just might not be enough space in ten chapters to fit in everything I want to. Or, if I ****_did _****do so, that it would as a result be pretty freaking rushed. As a result, it is likely (but not definite), that Act 3 will be extended to ****_twelve _****chapters. While I could probably fit it in ten chapters and just have no breaks, I feel like the pacing would benefit this way. Again, still not sure, and all the events themselves are planned out. The deciding factor will probably just be how much space it actually ends up taking to write it.**

**Anyways, let's get on with it!**

* * *

"You sure you wanna be let off here, sir? There's pretty much nothing here. Island was abandoned and not used again. All that's left are robots."

Alejandro gazed calmly from the dock on Pahkitew Island, still remaining on the ship that he'd paid to take him there. He smiled at the ferryman reassuringly. "I'm fine. I just want to take a look around."

The ferryman scratched the back of his head nervously. "Technically this area is off-limits. Feel like they'd try to kill you or somethin'."

"If it's deserted then I'm not worried," Alejandro said, stepping off the boat onto the dock, placing his hands in his pockets. "If there are people here then I'm confident I can take them out."

"If you're sure," the ferryman yawned, covering his mouth as a slight belch entered his voice. "I'll be waitin' for you back here then."

"Of course," Alejandro said, beaming. He turned and narrowed his eyes, closely examining the island before him. He stepped off the dock and onto the beach, noticing the distinct lack of wildlife in the area.

It felt dead in every sense of the word. No wind, no movement. Only insects and birds that had migrated. As Alejandro moved through the woods he'd come across the occasional rusted robotic animal, sparking and twitching. He'd usually put the thing out of its misery and keep moving.

He'd watched Pahkitew Island intently, noting the total control over the island. He'd mused about possibly regaining control of it, turning it into a tourist attraction or something. After all, forming a company from scratch would take time and money, and while Alejandro admittedly had plenty of wealthy connections that would be happy to play benefactor, he found it much more rewarding to exploit capitalism and by his own methods work his way to the top.

The more he examined the area, the less he found he liked it. Wawanakwa hadn't been very accommodating either, but the sheer lack of life on Pahkitew unnerved him.

No, he decided. This would not be suitable for a base or tourist attraction. This trip had been a waste after all then. Heather wouldn't be happy.

The sound of crunching footsteps and Alejandro's stomach dropped. He quickly dropped his hand to the hunting knife at his side, ready to unsheathe and stab whoever was following him at a moment's notice. He continued to act casual, still walking through the woods, pretending to not hear the blatant follower. Whoever it was was about as stealthy as an elephant.

He leaned down, seemingly looking at a plant, acutely aware of the figure moving in his peripheral.

The figure got within ten feet of him and Alejandro unsheathed his knife, spinning around to face the unknown individual.

Alejandro stopped as soon as he saw the native, and his eyes widened as he slowly lowered the knife. Standing before him was a dirt-caked, bloody-handed teenager, with bloodshot eyes and coarse greasy hair. He was on his hands and knees and was dangerously thin, almost skin and bones.

"Someone's here..." he croaked, a joyful smile spreading across his face, tears welling up in his eyes as he looked to his savior, crawling towards him. "Someone finally came...I thought everyone had forgotten me but _someone's finally here!"_

"What are you doing here?" Alejandro asked as the pathetic figure began sobbing into his leg. "How...why are you here?"

"They abandoned me...they all abandoned me..." The figure latched onto Alejandro's leg tighter. "Thank God you're here...thank God you're here..."

"We need to get you some food and water," Alejandro said, looking down in horror. "Wait, are you...Dave?"

The malnourished teen looked up at him and nodded, throat catching a little bit. Alejandro looked down, a mixture of pity and revulsion in his eyes. The pity won out for once.

"Very well," he said. "Come with me. I've got a ship that we can use to get you out of here. Can you stand?"

"Y-yes, yes I can..." Dave wobbled to his feet, shivering despite the fairly mild weather. "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."

Alejandro put his shoulder over Dave's, steadying him as they started to walk back. "Let's get you back then, shall we?"

The two hobbled back through the woods, towards the ship. The emotional wreck thanked him again and again every step of the way.

* * *

The man's hands shook as he typed on the keyboard, acutely aware of the cold gun pressed onto his temple. He continued to sort through files, sweat dripping down his neck.

"Get _on _with it," Dave snarled, pushing the cold metal a little further in. "I don't have all day."

"I'm _trying," _the man whimpered. "This takes time, I can't just pull it up automatically!"

"MOVE QUICKER OR I KILL EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM!" Dave shouted, and the man jumped slightly, typing like a madman.

Seven other employees were huddled in the room, terrified out of their wits. Three security guards lay dead on the floor, blood seeping into the booths. They hadn't initially been too concerned with the small, unstable-looking maniac who'd broken in, but after he'd killed all three guards (albeit with a dirty trick) and was very clearly willing to kill them too, they didn't know what the fuck to do except hope that he wouldn't kill them.

Dave had gathered all their phones and cut the wires to the work phone. No help would come until it was too late.

The man at the computer found the file that the lunatic was looking for. "Sir, it's here..." he tremored.

"Good work," Dave said. "I'll take it from here."

Promptly, he pulled the trigger, and the man dropped to the floor, blood flowing.

The other employees started screaming and Dave sighed, exasperated. "You know, you could have lived if you hadn't made so much noise!"

With scary precision, he raised the silenced gun and shot repeatedly, each one finding its mark and increasing the amount of blood on the floor. After thirty seconds, all of them were dead and he was out of bullets.

"It's much quieter now. Thank you," Dave told the empty room, smiling vacantly. Moving quickly, he downloaded the file onto a customized flash drive, humming to himself as he did so. Old school, but what could one do?

Quickly, he packed up shop and strolled out of the room, acting simply like he belonged there. He'd already disabled the DNA trace that Alejandro had been using to track down and kill him.

He exit the building and checked the file as he passed by the sign labeled "Signal Industries." Still humming, he rejoined the rest of society, now one vital piece ahead.

His mind drifted to his eternal enemies. Max had already been taught his lesson. Sky and Alejandro were next.

Then, eventually, they'd _all _pay.

He'd make sure of it.

* * *

In the utter confusion following Moreau's takeover, Max's remaining troops had been offered to either join them or be exiled. Some chose the exile option but twice as many simply turned in their guns and donned Moreau's uniform. Not literally, the guy wasn't one for conformity. All was not well in the world but with Darren Moreau at the helm, things were starting to look up.

_Well, _Alejandro thought to himself, lounging placidly in Max's throne, _they deserve a bit of a break._

He and Heather had wasted no time in treating themselves to the newly acquired position of ruler of the world. Marcus had exasperatedly complained to them about how freaking _convoluted _the whole scheme was, and that there must have been a million better ways to have achieved the same end result. To which Alejandro admitted that, yes, he did have some fun manipulating nations, armies, and dictators. All work and no play, right?

He steepled his fingers, very self-aware at how evil he looked. He internally laughed at this. Max had probably done the same gesture many times. The idiot didn't have the first clue what evil was.

Not that Al considered himself evil. He couldn't afford to do that, not when he was too busy having fun with it.

What he wasn't having fun with was _that fucking watch AI._

_"Access denied, shithead."_

Alejandro's eye twitched as he examined the AI, extracted from the facility into the computer before him. "You're telling me that I, _the one in charge, _can't access a measly little file?"

_"Yeah, no. Order 104 clearly states that orders can't be accessed by anyone without Max's permission."_

Alejandro turned to speak into his mic, only to be interrupted by MIC. "Mic" and "MIC" are not the same thing by the way.

_"Oh yeah, and Order 105 states that he can't be forced under duress to open the files. He was pretty specific about this."_

"Are you fucking KIDDING ME?" Alejandro yelled, slamming his hands on the table and standing up, furious. "All I want is just some nice NUCLEAR DEVICES _AND YOU WON'T TELL ME WHERE THEY ARE? I'M IN CHARGE FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"_

_"Dude, Max might be a little shit, but I like him more than you. I ain't sayin' nothin'."_

Alejandro sat down, motioning to the soldier as he transferred MIC into a data file. "Take this to the technicians," he said roughly, the soldier fumbling as he did so. "Torture the information we need out of it."

"Y-yes sir," the soldier replied, hurriedly scampering out of the base.

Only a select few soldiers were currently aware that Alejandro and Heather were really in charge and that Moreau was merely being used as a puppet. These select few soldiers would be constantly surveyed, for obvious reasons. While they would have liked to assume the leadership position naturally, they knew that an outright takeover would draw suspicion. A revolutionary in charge would be expected, after all.

"It's frustrating, isn't it?" Heather stood next to him, a world-weary look on her face. Alejandro greeted her with a smile and nod, before leaning in to exchange a kiss. They quickly separated and Alejandro sighed, slumping in his seat.

"It's infuriating because all the matters are being brought to Moreau, then to me. It's so _disorganized," _Alejandro hissed. "Dave, Noah, and those two idiots have evaded our forces for a week now. The longer they're out there the more likely that they'll find people willing to help them."

"We have the _world _at our disposal," Heather said smiling. "They can't hide forever. They can't win."

"That's what Max said," Alejandro noted, scowling at the thought.

"Look, a week from now this'll all be over. I know there have been...regrets..." Heather's face lessened for a moment, revealing stress and worry before closing back up. "But we've gotta keep going...right?"

Alejandro nodded impatiently. "Of course, of course. It's just...hard sometimes. Thank you, Heather. Dinner on me?"

Heather allowed herself a self-satisfied smirk. "It's not like we don't have the money."

The two exchanged another kiss and Heather started walking away. "I've got work to do, talk to you later."

_"Gracias, _Heather." Alejandro smiled charmingly as she walked out the door. "I have work to do as well. I'd best get on it."

* * *

"Is this the place?"

The question was actually one that probably needed to be asked. The desolate remains of a former suburb outside of Toronto were not exactly a regular tourist destination. Small animals scavenged what they could from the wreckage, and years left unsupervised had spread the radiation around. Too long spent unsupervised could give them cancer.

The last time Evil One had been to Toronto, his beloved Archive had blown up. Now that he was back in the area, he'd had to practically beg Sky to let him go scavenge through the wreckage and pick up whatever information he could. The story of what had happened could not be lost.

Reluctantly, she'd agreed, and the two had slipped into the city and gathered whatever information they could. They decided to ignore the fact that the last time they'd been there they'd been trying to kill each other. They'd made it quick, and just barely avoided capture.

The distress signal had led them here, and now they'd find out if it was a trap or not.

Sky nodded, tired and weary from a week of running, poor food, and constant threat of death. Ammunition and weapons hadn't been a problem, they easily scrounged off of dead guards and the like.

"You think this is a trap?" Evil One asked, carrying a handbag filled with papers. He too had lost weight and looked in no shape to fight.

"It said it was Noah," Sky let out, each word difficult to convey. "That he had friends. It was his voice, so unless they've captured him then I think we're good."

"That's a pretty big 'unless,'" Evil One muttered, glancing around and stepped into what remained of a house. "I think this is where it originated from, but...there's nothing here."

"Check around," Sky said, pulling out her gun and stepping over a jagged board to get inside. She quickly sweeped the area and smiled as she found a small hatch on the floor. She smirked. "Bingo."

"Should we knock?" Evil One asked anxiously. Sky pulled out the radio they'd received the transmission on.

"No," Sky said. "We transmit, they see us. They'll open the hatch. That AI you guys have has been protecting this channel."

"Ah yeah, MIC," Evil One sniffed. "He's captured too..."

Sky turned the dial, sending a transmission. The two stood there awkwardly for a minute or so as nothing seemed to happen.

A hissing sound, and the hatch opened. The two raised their guns, prepared for anything.

"Well," Noah said, with his eyes bloodshot and surrounded by a dark circle, "this is a relief. Come on in."

"Noah!" Evil One said, his face lighting up in a grin.

"This isn't a trap, right?" Sky asked.

"No it's not a trap, dipshit," Noah groaned. "Come on down, you'll lose all your hair if you stay out here."

Sky and Evil One moved in, climbing down the ladder. Metal surrounded them on all sides as they moved down. "What is this place?" Evil One asked.

"The only worthwhile thing Chris ever contributed to," Noah yawned as he placed his feet on the ground at the bottom of the ladder. "And even then he only provided the funds."

The two looked around. The bunker didn't appear to be very big, maybe enough to house 500 people if they packed it. A single elevator, several floors, close walls, and maybe a dozen or so soldiers on the current floor.

Evil One smiled blissfully as he felt secure for the first time in years. His smile dropped as he turned to Noah. "Noah..."

"Yes?"

Evil One scratched his arm nervously. "Do you know...do you know what happened to Izzy?"

Noah's scowl lessened, and for a moment one could see just how broken he was inside. "Yeah," he said finally. "Yeah I heard."

Evil One nodded glumly. "I know you were trying to help her uncover the conspiracy...I'm sorry all of that was for nothing."

"Thank you," Noah replied, staring off into space. The three remained in uncomfortable silence for a few seconds, until a new voice breached the tension, and turned everyone's heads.

"Sky?"

The voice came from in front of them, and Sky looked in wonder, seeing a face she hadn't seen in years. Shawn stood at the end of the hall, looking surprisingly ecstatic. He jogged down over to see them, happier than he'd probably been in years.

"Wow, it's so good to see you!" Shawn laughed, clapping Sky on the back as she stood in bewilderment. "Okay, to be honest, I didn't think about you all that much but sometimes it's nice to see someone you know!"

"What's...what's going on here?" Sky asked.

"If Dave were here he'd be commenting on how I've contacted yet another former Total Drama contestant," Noah said, voice low. "But I've resolved to strangle him to death the next time I see him, and watch as the color leaves his face before throwing him off a cliff."

"While I agree, that's not answering her question," Evil One said.

"Jasmine and I survived 'cause of the zombie bunker we made with the prize money," Shawn explained. "We helped people out when we could but mostly kept to ourselves."

"Jasmine's here too?" Sky asked.

"Yeah, she's downstairs," Shawn said. "She'll be happy to see you too!"

"How did you and Noah get into contact?" Evil One asked.

"Max visited a party once," Noah said. "Dave talked to Jasmine there and later commented to me about the zombie shelter and that they were still alive. I knew that they could prove helpful and so asked to keep their doors open for me should the need arise. I didn't explain why but I got here as soon as I could after Moreau's attack on Gotham. I explained the situation and now we have a safe place where they can't track us."

"Hey, what's going on?" Jasmine's voice came from downstairs as she took the manual flight up. "We've got a lotta shit to do and-" Her face too lit up upon seeing Sky. "Sky! So good to see you!"

"Y'know, this has been the happiest anyone's ever been at seeing me in a long time," Sky commented.

Noah rolled his eyes at this. "There'll be plenty of time to catch up, but we've got a bit of a tight schedule. A week isn't a lot of time to do things."

"What's in a week?" Evil One asked.

Jasmine snorted. "Haven't you been paying attention? Max gets executed in a week."

"Right..." Evil One trailed off. "So what's the plan?"

Noah allowed himself a confident grin, the most genuine facial expression he'd shown since Sky and Evil One had encountered him. "The plan, my friend, is to bust him out."

* * *

Max was used to living a cushy life. Pampered and fed at his whim, without any real diet or care about where the food was coming from or where it went. Even before being a ruler of the world, he'd never been hungry. There would always be someone there to feed him, someone to calm him down if he was throwing a temper tantrum.

As such, a week with subpar rations, regular beatings, and denial of his request to see Freckles 2.0 had taken its toll. Flab hung from his sides from his weight loss and his usually pale skin was blue with marks. The guard had never liked him, and while not as sadistic as Morris, took every opportunity to get payback for his constantly docked salary and meager food supply.

A week had passed and Max remained curled up on the floor, a constant hole in his stomach. Occasionally he would drift off, forget. He would nearly sleep, nearly dream.

Then the image of Izzy bleeding and gagging on the ground filled the insides of his eyelids. Dave's cold, detached laughter.

He'd already dried up all the tears. All that was left was the emptiness.

The sound of one of the three doors guarding his cell opening. Max glanced up, trying to wipe the sleep and weariness from his eyes. He struggled with the shock collar around his neck. It'd been specially designed for his thick layer of fat. Alejandro probably didn't want him to be _too _uncomfortable.

"Wake up, asshole," the guard droned, kicking Max's latest "food" (if you could call it that) tray away from him, looking down at the pathetic mess on the floor. "You've got a visitor."

"Visitor?..." Max said blearily, pulling himself up to a sitting position. "Who the hell would want to..."

"Not my job description," the guard said, stepping out of the way. "You've got ten minutes, tops," he said to a figure from the outside.

Max squinted, confused as the guard left the room. Who the hell would want to visit him? Who even cared anymore?

Footsteps, and the figure turned into the room, a layer of glass between her and Max. Max's stomach dropped once more.

"Hello, Max," Scarlett said calmly, a sneer on her face and a bandage on her waist.

"You..." Max growled, trying to find the energy to stand. He staggered for a few seconds before falling down again.

Scarlett allowed a waxy smile to stretch across her face, and she shook her head smugly. "Well isn't...this...interesting...wouldn't you say?"

"I don't know what you mean," Max snarled. "Why'd they let you live?"

"Look around, Max," Scarlett said. "The exact same cell you put me in all those months ago...you stood on this side of the bars, pleading for help from me, for _anything _other than the miserable life you'd subjected yourself to. _Now_ look at how things change."

"You didn't answer my question," Max clasped his stomach in pain. "Why are you still alive?"

"I was aware there was a conspiracy behind your rise to power," Scarlett said. "It stood to reason that they'd appreciate a wild card making things tougher for everyone. No matter what I do, I benefit them."

Max snorted. "So you're saying that you _knew _Alejandro and Heather were working together to pull this off? You figured it out?"

Scarlett tensed slightly from the other side of the bars. "Not...the exact _details," _she said, getting a little defensive. "But I got the general gist of it-"

"He outsmarted you," Max laughed slightly, slumping against the wall. "You had no idea, did you? Sure you might have known something was up but those two had power over your life the entire time. You can act as smug as you want..." Max pointed at the bandage. "But _that _proves that you're _out of your league."_

Scarlett's face widened in shock.

Within a few seconds, it turned into a raw, unadulterated fury.

"You little _SHIT!" _Scarlett snarled, reaching for the shock device but not yet activating it. She stalked up to the glass. "You act like you know _so much _but you didn't see it at all! Your little fucking friend was the only one really looking! And what happened to her?" Scarlett cackled, the insanity in her eyes clear as day. "Oh right, she got shot!" Scarlett let out a high-pitched laugh, as Max shrunk to the ground in terror. "My only regret is that I couldn't have killed her _myself! _Oh, what I wouldn't _give _to have seen that!"

"You BITCH!" Max hurdled himself at the window, and with barely restrained glee Scarlett activated the shock device. Max screamed in pain, clawing at his neck as he writhed on the floor. Scarlett's shoulders heaved and her body swayed as her laughter rose in pitch and volume. She continued turning the shock dial up, watching in glee as he shrieked in pain.

"It doesn't feel so good, does it?" As she laughed, her hair became untied and hung to her waist as she amped the volume. The calm, confident manipulator was gone, in its place a sadistic monster. Her laughter continued to rise in fervor, as she almost lost control of her body from the spasms. Scarlett fell to her knees, the laughter starting to fade as she composed herself.

Slowly, she turned the dial back down until finally Max stopped convulsing. The former ruler lay on the ground, sobbing to himself, charred and scared and very much alone.

Scarlett rose to her feet, swaying. Calmly, she put her hair back in a bun and set the device down. "I'm glad Dave did what he did," she hissed, a completely insane grin on her face. "It was cruel, leaving you alive. But now I get the chance to make you suffer even more. We've got a whole week to do this, Max. And let me assure you that I'm going to milk this for all it's worth."

Silently, the psychopath calmly walked out of the room, leaving Max sobbing on the floor behind her.

* * *

**The main purpose of this chapter is mostly a bit of a cool off, nothing too shocking (except for Max, haha). Also to show just how the good guys might actually still have a chance here, so welcome Shawn and Jasmine! The good thing about serial updates is that you can throw in little tidbits now and then that you have the option to go back to or not. **

**Anyways, g'day all and thanks for reading! Please review and leave your thoughts, it's much appreciated. :)**

**Ciao!**


	22. Chapter 22: Prisoner

**G'day all! Enjoy the next chapter. Still uncertain as to whether it'll be ten or twelve chapters but either way it's gonna be a ride. Enjoy!**

* * *

Alejandro hated it when Heather had to go.

For years now they'd maintained minimal contact due to the secretive nature of their work. It had been the hardest part. At one point in time he'd have spent every moment worrying that Heather would backstab him and usurp the power for herself. But their relationship had remained steady for so long that he felt confident that they would continue to work together seamlessly, even from distance.

Plus, now he could call without worrying about being caught. Oh so many possibilities now.

From an outsider's perspective, Alejandro was the mastermind of the operation. The one with the grand scheme, the man with the plan. He'd always been that way. But he mused to himself that he'd probably had never made it this far without Heather. Heather had always preferred directly overseeing things and was a much more effective improviser than he was. She was encouraged to make calls of her own and to improvise, which she'd done with gusto. It had been her call to keep Scarlett alive after she'd escaped Max's custody.

As of right now she was inbound to oversee the reconstruction of various cities. She'd be constantly moving as Moreau's "representative" to make sure everything was in line. There would _always _be unprecedented factors and variables that they wouldn't have accounted for. Making sure those variables could be manipulated to their advantage was the trick.

"Sir."

Speaking of which.

Alejandro reclined in his chair as Scarlett stood before him tightly, hands held behind her back as she stood rigidly before him. He noticed one of her eyes had a red tint. He somehow doubted it was from sorrow.

"Scarlett, pleasure," Alejandro said. "Thank you for coming on such short notice."

"May I ask what this is about?"

Alejandro rose to his feet, noticing the pug at his feet, snorting. Reluctantly he reached down and pet it. Freckles 2.0 snorted contently and Scarlett recoiled slightly in disgust.

"You're aware that your former ally Sky is on the run with a moron and one of my former employees?"

"Yes sir," Scarlett said, not sure where this was going. "The drones were-"

"The drones aren't working," Alejandro interrupted. "Not on their own at least. Too easy to dupe and they've evaded death for eight days now. The time has come to take more direct action."

"And this involves me...why?" Scarlett asked.

"Well...don't you want to tidy up loose ends?" Alejandro quirked an eyebrow. "You and Sky didn't exactly get along."

"Can't you take care of it yourself?"

Alejandro paced in front of his desk. "You know, I'd _love _to and all...but if you haven't realized...I'm _kinda busy." _Alejandro's muscles tensed as he turned to her, in a hostile position. "You, on the other hand, have just been torturing Max for a few days now. Noble goal, but...you could be doing better."

"You want me to clean up your problems," Scarlett said, more as a statement than a question.

"Is that not what you did for the resistance?" Alejandro asked, continuing to pace around. "You realize the only reason you're still alive is because Heather believed you'd be useful? To be honest my first thought when I heard you'd made it to the resistance was to slit your throat. The only reason you're alive is because _she w_as feeling merciful." Alejandro looked her dead in the eyes. "I'm not nearly as merciful as she is."

Scarlett bit her lip. "So you're telling me I have no choice. You think you can get me to do what you want with threats? I evaded Max for months. I can evade you."

"Oh?" Alejandro tilted his head, looking curiously at here. "Because that's not what _I _heard. _I _heard that you tried to flip sides during the battle. You thought we needed you alive." He moved closer to her, looking down at her. She met his eyes with a deadened stare. "And you were wrong. And here we are..." Alejandro turned around to the desk. "You haven't given me a reason not to shoot you in the head right now. _Give me a reason not to."_

A quiet fury swept over Scarlett as she attempted to refute his points. Her mind came up blank. "I'll get on it...sir." she spit out bitterly, turning on her heel and stalking out the door.

Alejandro returned to his seat and was startled as the pug jumped into his lap. "You really don't care what owner you have as long as you get fed..." Alejandro pondered as the animal made itself comfortable. "How applicable..."

He pulled up on a screen the progress of MIC's torture. The AI was proving hard to pin down, and even harder to crack. Soon enough however he'd have what he needed, and they would have all the leverage in the world.

_And to think it all started off so small._

A brief, indiscernible look passed across his face before he quickly composed himself. Never mind that. No need to worry.

Everything was fine.

All was well.

* * *

_"This is Evil One, can anyone read me? Repeat, can anyone read me?"_

_"Yeah I can hear you, idiot. This is the radio. We literally JUST separated to take out the individual guards. What the hell did you do this time?"_

_"Uh, yeah. About that. I may have accidentally cracked this guard's back or something and now he's on the floor groaning and I don't really know what to do and..."_

_"Oh god dammit. He's the ENEMY! Don't feel pity for him!"_

_"Sky, a couple days ago _I _was the enemy, ever think about that?"_

_"...I'll be there in a minute."_

Sky groaned and dragged the unconscious guard out of sight. Prisons had never been high on Max's budgetary list. With any luck, Alejandro and Heather would not have rectified this. While there were plenty of scumbags rotting in prisons, the clear majority had been resistance fighters or arrested for just plain stupid reasons. Moreau having "won" didn't automatically free these people. And soon enough Max loyalists had started getting thrown in too. Hopefully, they'd be able to convince them to join in Max and Moreau's rescue mission.

Sky's stomach recoiled slightly. Moreau's addition to the plan had been an afterthought. Without him, it would be likely that no resistance fighter would listen to them. The bastard was a manipulator at heart. To be honest she _really _wanted to kill him and let his body rot in the sewers for what he did. Noah had persuaded her otherwise. That didn't mean she was happy about it.

Her list of enemies was growing by the day. Dave. Alejandro. Heather. Scarlett. Moreau. Max, kinda? God dammit. Why couldn't things ever be clear cut and simple?

She found Evil One hovering over a groaning guard who had his hands on his spine. Evil One was trying to figure out what to do. "Sky, good! You're here! I hurt him, what do I do?"

"Knock him out," Sky sighed. "Someone else can help him out."

"But-"

"SOMEONE HELP ME!" The guard yelled. "I'VE BEEN YELLING LIKE THIS FOR LIKE FIVE MINUTES WHY IS NOBODY-"

Not wanting to get into another argument with him, Sky choked the guard into unconsciousness. Evil One stood there looking like a kicked puppy and she looked at him strangely. "What? Someone else will help him. Now c'mon we've gotta figure out how to get these people out of here and hopefully to our side."

Another voice came over the headset, that of Noah. _"Jasmine's in position. She's sorting through all the prisoner files so that we won't let loose any dangerous psychopaths. Only people who'd join our side."_

"Good," Evil One said, raising his gun. "So now it's our move. Can I be the one to talk over the intercom?"

_"No."_

"Why not? Max would think it's a good idea."

_"Yeah, but two dumbs don't make a smart."_

"I'll do it because I'm obviously the only one with any charisma at all around here," Sky sighed, resigned to her fate. "Let's go."

Sky and Evil One moved stealthily through the facility. Evil One walked around a corner, and a panicked wide-eyed Sky drew him back as several guards marched through. They didn't appear to be particularly bright.

"Why is _he _here?" One of the guards groaned. "We were doing just fine on our own. Christ, guy gives me the fuckin' creeps."

"Don't let Matheson hear that," the other guard warned. "He'd rip your limbs off."

"He _does _that?"

"Probably."

The two passed and Evil One gulped. Sky turned to him. "You know him?"

"You remember that big scary mercenary guy who seemingly worked for Max but actually was being paid by Alejandro?" Evil One asked rhetorically. "Yeah him. What's he doing here though?"

"Do they know we're coming?" Sky asked, anxiety entering her voice.

"Dunno," Evil One said. "Let's move."

About ten more of sneaking and another near capture, the two arrived at their destination. Namely, the main control room. The two raised their guns and entered, prepared for the worst.

Four soldiers. Immediately Sky shot one leaning on the wall in the leg, sending her crashing to the ground in pain. Evil One fired off several shots, one hitting the foot of the guard closest to the door. Quickly, Evil One slammed his head into the wall and sent him crashing to the floor. A little hard to believe, I know, but just go with it.

Considering the majority of Alejandro's soldiers were still under the impression that they were working for Moreau and for the greater good, everyone had resolved to try to keep fatalities to a minimum. These probably weren't bad people. They just didn't have time to explain how and why everything they were working for was a lie.

The two remaining guards, now prepared, began firing back. Evil One cursed as he was nicked on his side. A couple more well-aimed shots and the two remaining guards were on the floor with bloodied legs. Legs would probably be the best thing to aim for. Injuries there would often incapacitate a person just as much as outright killing them.

"We're here," Sky said, glancing at the screen showing all the prisoner locations. Quickly, she flipped around screens to make sure no one was coming their way.

Jasmine's voice came over the headset. _"I'm sending you both the ones that you should NOT release, okay? Everyone else is fine, majority of people here are just resistance fighters who haven't been released yet, or Max's forces who've newly been thrown in."_

"We're on it," Evil One said. "I'll guard outside. Sky, you're the only one here with any kind of charisma. Let 'em know what's happening."

Sky nodded and Evil One stepped outside the door. Sky glanced around hesitantly, before picking up the microphone.

She'd done this before. Delivered propaganda speeches for Moreau time after time again. But as she stared at the microphone before her her mind seemed to blank. A strange feeling surfaced and she felt a little dizzy. This was all too familiar. _Way _too familiar. The last time she'd done this she'd been fully convinced that she was in the right, that they were doing the right thing. Now...

A flip of the switch and she turned the PA on, still trying to find the words to say to get these people on their side. But they wouldn't come.

Noah's tinny voice came through the headset. _"Sky, we're on a timetable. Talk to these people!"_

"I...I can't..."

_"Why not? Dammit, Sky, this isn't a grade school presentation!"_

Sky put a hand to her stomach as her head began spinning. "I just...I can't, okay?"

The sound of gunfire from outside and Evil One burst into the room. "Shit! Matheson's here! We need to get out of here _now!"_

_"Dammit!" _they heard Noah curse, before talking to someone else. _"Release the prisoners and if any of them recognize you get them to follow you, okay?"_

Sky growled and her eyes found the red button that would release the prisoners. Quickly she adjusted a few settings so that the high-security prisoners would not be released.

She pressed the button.

Red lights flashed and an alarm filled her ears. Evil One yelled at her to run for it and in a daze she complied.

The two ran down the hallway, reconvening with Shawn and Jasmine. She could hear someone yelling her name, at least one of the prisoners pointing at her. Evil One's eyes widened and he started firing as Matheson approached down the corridor, firing coldly.

Bodies hit the floor and the sounds of a riot could be heard. Out of muscle memory she raised her gun and fired, dropping several enemy soldiers. Shawn was yelling at her but in the confusion she couldn't make out what he was saying. The soldiers retreated and a small aircraft set down outside the prison. Sky, Evil One, Jasmine, Shawn, and their other remaining soldiers backed up into it. Several of their men dropped.

One man let out a yell as he was shot in the knee, and Jasmine pulled him in.

The aircraft took off the ground and departed, leaving the chaos below them.

"We have wounded!" Shawn called out to the pilot. "Get us back as soon as possible! Make sure we're not tailed!"

Sky walked over to where Jasmine and Evil One were sitting. "Did...I screw up?"

Jasmine shook her head. "We improvised, managed to hand over the encoded channel to someone we can trust who'll spread it as best he can. It would have been better if you'd done it yourself, but...don't worry, okay? It'll be fine."

Sky looked out the window, clutching her hand to her stomach. Evil One looked concerned but ultimately said nothing, instead dabbing his wounds and staring off vacantly into space.

He was seemingly docile but in reality simply calculating. The Archive had been mostly destroyed, and now he was in the fray of things. Recorded history would have to be unbiased and it would be hard to do so from his vantage point. As it stood, it was time to take action. Public image was key and as of now they had failed to at least spread the rumor of a greater conspiracy behind Max and Moreau's rises to power.

Evil One's gaze shifted to Sky for a moment. She was an odd one, full of absolutes and ideals. But it wouldn't make any difference as to whether they knew they were right any wrong. What mattered would be that _everyone _knew who was right and wrong.

Alejandro and Heather had set up an intricate network of magnificent proportions. The only issue with this was one very obvious flaw. The fact that it was _so _intricate that one little slip up would bring everything crashing down on their heads. They'd survived long based on manipulating variables and adjusting plans to account for new ones.

All they needed to do would be to engineer a public scenario where their treachery would be shown to millions. They'd hoped the prison break would have been the start of a series of whispers, of rumors that there was something more sinister behind Max and Moreau's rise to power.

As it stood, today was not a failure, but not a success.

But the two masterminds, in giving Max a public execution, were setting up a perfect opportunity for their control over the people to slip.

It was time to act.

* * *

This was not how he'd imagined it.

Moreau did not consider himself to be an idealist, but also didn't consider himself to be a cynic. He thought of himself as a nice middle ground. People had the capability to acheive greatness, while plenty would still fail.

He'd known that he was one of the few who would achieve greatness, to make a difference in the world. But as everyone applauded him, held him in awe, and praised his very existence, his stomach turned. He'd vomited at least three times since he'd "won." His hands shook constantly despite his sling and the scar and stitches on his temple served to remind him of his own vulnerability.

He stood in his new office. The official story was that Max's office was no longer in use. Those high up in his command structure were aware of Alejandro using it. Every conspiracy had conspirators.

A cough from behind him and he turned to see Marcus standing guard over him. His former soldier had kept a watchful eye over him for days now. Any wrong move and he'd be killed. And Marcus wouldn't even have to raise a finger to do it.

Moreau moved out into the hall, and a group of soldiers passed by. One bumped into him and Marcus. He squeaked, looking terrified. "Sorry sir!"

"Watch where you're going," Marcus began, and lectured the soldier for a few moments. Moreau felt the weight of something in his pocket and used the slight distraction to take a peek, keenly scanning it over before placing it in his pocket. In a few seconds Marcus slapped the soldier on the butt, sending him on his way.

Moreau continued to walk down the hallway before stopping. A thought took over him and he glanced to Marcus.

"May I ask you something?" Moreau asked. "I've been curious."

"I've already answered why I'm doing this," Marcus yawned. "If that's what you're wondering. It's a job."

"No," Moreau said. "I'd...actually like to talk to Max. Not too much. I know you don't want us getting any ideas. It's just...I need some time to think. Someone I can relate to. If I'm going to be able to accept my fate as a puppet king then I'd like to at least be able to vent my feelings first."

Marcus seemed to consider this for a moment. He laughed. "You are one manipulative _fuck, _you know that?"

Moreau sighed and glanced at him, before using his arm to gesture to the stitches on his temple. Marcus's lip curled at this.

"Right, right..." the former soldier sighed. "Look, boss. I don't hold any ill will towards you. But if I let you anywhere near him that'll have consequences."

"Kill me if I worry you," Moreau said calmly.

Marcus hesitated. "I don't really..."

"What? You've killed lots of people already. What's one more? Do you ACTUALLY still have some loyalty to me?"

Marcus shook his head. "No, no...just...you spend so many years of your life doing something sometimes it's hard to do something different."

Moreau shook his head, placing his hand to his forehead. "Just...take me there. It'll be fine."

"Fine, fine..." Marcus sighed, starting to walk. "Let's go visit Max."

The two walked in uncomfortable silence as they tried to gauge the other's motivations and reactions. Moreau was still a little woozy from the surgery, otherwise he'd probably have been able to pinpoint in an instant what Marcus's deal was. Marcus on the other hand, while cynical, just wasn't particularly observant. And having to discern someone as inscrutable as Moreau was no easy task.

An elevator ride down and Moreau walked purposefully through the corridor. The innocent people lined up in the cells had been released, now replaced by criminals and Max loyalists who'd refused to crack. Fairer, yes. But without Moreau's consent, Alejandro had decided to line them up and torture information out of them-anywhere that Max's friends could be hiding. Obviously, none knew and the whole thing was a pointless endeavor. So Alejandro had made it a policy to only torture people once. The guy was so fucked up that he created a "one-torture rule" policy. If one genuinely knew nothing, they'd only be tortured for information once. That was how confident Alejandro was in getting his prisoners to talk.

None did, after an excruciating amount of pain. From Moreau's perspective, giving them the promise of only one torture would simply give people incentive to hold out under pressure. Alejandro had given it consideration but concluded that no one had the willpower to do so.

The cell that had once held Scarlett was barricaded by no less than three doors. Max had been nothing if not thorough. Moreau pressed a few buttons and all three sets of doors opened. He walked inside, Marcus trailing him.

Max was badly bruised and starved and despite himself Moreau still couldn't feel the least bit of sympathy for him. Perhaps he'd focused too much on hating the poor bastard over the years, but he found that he could only feel contempt.

That being said, this battered, bruised manchild was currently the only person he could talk to about anything. How utterly sad was that?

"What are you doing here?" Max slurred, pushing himself into a seated position. Moreau sat down on the other side of the glass, looking in at the pathetic creature before him.

"I needed someone to talk to," Moreau admitted frankly, looking deeply ashamed that the only option had been Max. "Everyone else...they're either working for _them _or still think of me as a Messiah."

"Lucky you," Max sighed, staring blankly at the wall. "How do you think I've been? Scarlett's tortured me and now you're here...just let me rot in peace." Max put up his knees and wrapped his arms around them, staring down.

"I'm sorry about your friend, if that's any consolation," Moreau said warily.

"It isn't."

"Right..." Moreau scratched at the stitch on his temple. "I know what it's like to lose. For a long time I blamed you. But as it turns out we were both being played..."

"I went along with it," Max whimpered. "I thought it was me...I was willing to do it. Maybe if I'd done something different..."

"What happened happened," Moreau snapped. "You've gotta move on."

Marcus shifted slightly in Moreau's peripheral but he paid it no mind.

Max's gaze didn't waver from the ground in front of him. "What about you? You're intelligent. Charismatic. Can't you figure out a way to stop them?"

Moreau shifted his eyes to Marcus, who nodded.

Moreau sighed, his hand trembling as he pointed to the stitches. "They...Alejandro knew that I'd likely try to plot something. So he...he installed a chip in my skull. They know where I am at all times and they..." His composed features broke, and Max looked on in shock as his former nemesis looked ready to collapse to the floor, a look of utter _fear _on his face. "They can blow me up at any time they want."

Max sat speechless as Moreau continued to tremor. The silence lingered for a minute or so before Max finally found the nerve to respond. "I...I don't know what to say."

"You blame yourself," Moreau spit out. "That's fair. But I am equally to blame. I lost my protege because I was too focused on this goal, my own personal wants and needs. They manipulated that. But it was _my _thoughts. Not theirs. So yes. I do empathize with your situation. I may not have been physically tortured or lost my best friend...but I still feel just as bad."

"So what are you going to do?" Max asked. Moreau did not respond.

"Time's up," Marcus said calmly. "I probably should have said so sooner but eh. I figured it wouldn't do any harm. You've both had a nice cry, now back to work for you. Sir."

Moreau rose to his feet, his usual blank look returning to his face. "Good talk Max." Marcus led the way out of the prison and Moreau noticed a tray with an apple on it. Calmly, he took the apple and deposited it through the slot. "Least I can do," he said, allowing a small smile across his face.

"Ugh, sentimentality," Marcus gagged. "C'mon sir."

"Coming, coming."

The two left the room, leaving Max to his own devices. Quietly, he picked up the apple.

On the bottom was a small slip of paper. Making sure the security camera couldn't see him, Max quickly unfolded it, looking at the message inside.

_We move at the execution. Don't worry. You'll be fine._

Max's eyes widened and a small feeling rose in his stomach.

He glanced at the apple, and took a bite, pushing the note inside and shredding it to bits.

Max slumped against the wall, but a newfound determination started to take hold of him.

Just a few more days.

* * *

**It's gonna be fun, dudes.**


	23. Chapter 23: Mentality

**G'day all! Enjoy the show. Be sure to review if you haven't already! It is always appreciated. c:**

* * *

"The HELL happened out there? Sky, you were supposed to bring them to our side! You KNOW that we're low on manpower and that in order to free Max and Moreau we need enough people to take Alejandro on! Do you have an explanation?"

Noah paced around angrily as Sky seemed to shrink in her seat. Jasmine, Shawn, Evil One, and a few others were seated in the room as Noah continued pacing, furious for once in his life. It took a lot to get him to show emotion and no one had really liked his dead inside attitude. Now that he was pissed and directing it all at Sky, however, people were ready for him to be apathetic again.

"I froze up..." Sky muttered.

"Oh, you _froze up?" _Noah gestured vividly with his hands, a scathing glare on his face. "I thought we could trust you to do what needed to be done! We can be the most righteous cause in the fucking WORLD, but if we don't have people on our side, then _what good is it?"_

_"Noah," _Evil One interrupted, a surprising scowl on his face. Noah turned to the dweeb, redirecting his anger.

"What?" Noah barked.

"Lay off a little bit," Evil One sighed. "It's fine, and she's certainly not gonna perform better if you keep yelling at her.

"We have _three days_ left and while the rumor HAS spread that Moreau might not be in charge, yes, it isn't as good as it could have been."

"Dude," Shawn sighed. "What happened happened. There's no need to make everyone feel like shit over it."

Noah groaned and folded his arms, resolved not to say anything further on the matter. "Fine. Let's go over the plan, then."

Everyone nodded in agreement except for Sky, who stared off into space before snapping back to attention.

Noah pulled up what used to be Times Square as a hologram, the known location where Max would be executed. "After Moreau's invasion the reconstruction from the attack has been MASSIVE. But they're still not fully recovered. Thus, it will be easier to slip into the city undetected, particularly considering we'll be infiltrating a massive crowd ready for Max's execution. From my count, a total of 309 people are on our side now. Alejandro will have him AND Moreau under top guard."

"As a result, the main objective will be to create as much chaos as possible. If the majority of Alejandro's men are trying to quell a riot then it would be MUCH easier to slip Max and Moreau out of the city. Jasmine will have an aircraft on standby. The rest of our soldiers who don't get on will have to dissolve back into the crowd and get out. This is a window of opportunity and we'll have to thank Alejandro for making it so public."

"Do you not think he's planned for this?" Sky asked, speaking up with a renewed vigor. "I mean...he planned Max's rise to power for a decade. There's NO way that he doesn't have all eyes on Max."

Noah nodded and grinned. "Yeah, which is why we're doing a two-pronged assault. The _last _time the capitol was invaded, we took care to ensure that minimal reinforcements would be sent in. Too much and Moreau could have made the capitol attack a fake out. Then, with the majority of troops in the city, he'd be able to take more territory for himself." Noah looked extremely self-satisfied. "As it happens, Alejandro has centralized his troops in the capitol already."

"What target could we take, even?" Evil One asked. "I mean, it's still pretty scary either way..."

Noah allowed himself a laugh. "Yeah, one of our contacts found out that Heather's gone to oversee the reconstruction of some other cities. She's traveling, but at the time of our attack she'll be in what's left of Paris. While the majority of us will be attacking the capitol, we can use the chaos as a distraction to take Heather's men by surprise and capture her. Who knows? Maybe we could even organize a hostage trade off."

"D'you think Al would go for that?" Shawn asked. "Dude's smart but taking Heather might just piss him off. Plus, our spies reported in. We've made contact with Moreau and he slipped the note to Max as well, but Moreau has a chip in his head that can explode whenever Alejandro wants it to."

Noah smirked. "That's easy. I _know _that chip, I worked for those two jackasses for a time after all. It runs on Moreau's own brainwaves and can only be activated via remote detonator. All we have to do is either knock him out or destroy the activation device. Simple."

Shawn nodded. "Okay, yeah...but taking Heather _won't _make him happy...like, at all..."

"Fair enough," Noah said. "Jasmine will be organizing the attack on Heather with minimal men. The rest of us will be preparing for the assault on the capitol. Confusion is the key." Noah looked around as they all sat in awkward silence.

Nobody seemed to know what to do now. Finally Noah spoke again. "I don't honestly know _when _I became the leader of this little operation, Christ. Dismissed!" Everyone rose to their feet and murmured as they left. Noah cleared his throat one more time. "Oh, and Sky?"

Sky turned, looking anxious as hell as Noah glanced at her, a sympathetic look on his face. "I'm sorry about snapping at you," he said softly, before his usual scowl set in. "But please, for the love of God, _get your issues sorted out before this fight. _Okay?"

Sky bit her lip before nodding, not seeming to want to say anything. Hands still trembling, she exit the room.

* * *

The next hour or so was spent in silence, with the occasional soldier passing by delivering messages here and there. Despite the relatively small force compared to Al and Heather's, the majority felt confident in the plan. Sky was not one of them. She'd already been a part of one resistance movement dedicated to fighting someone seemingly "evil" and that hadn't really worked out well for anyone. Not that Alejandro and Heather were being manipulated by someone else, obviously. That'd just get ridiculous, too many fucking gambits piling up at once for anything to make an ounce of sense.

Her eyes found Evil One, who was sitting in a corner with a laptop in his lap, typing furiously and muttering to himself, looking through various printed documents she recognized from the Archive. It was an odd sight amidst the outright chaos of the rest of the facility. He genuinely looked like a student who'd forgotten to do his homework and was frantically staying up to get it done.

"What are you doing?"

Evil One's response was a little delayed, and after about three seconds looked up to see that Sky was talking to him. Not many people deigned to talk to him, especially these days.

"Doing what I'm always doing," he sighed, continuing typing and not looking at her. "Hanging in the background. Trying to figure out how to record everything that's happening. Trying not to die. The usual."

Sky sat down in a chair a few feet away from him, wondering why he hadn't elected to use it. "I don't get it," she said finally.

"Hmn?"

"I don't...understand. How are you so..._passive? _You're taking this all in stride. You seem fine emotionally. How..." Sky choked a little bit on her own words, recalling the earlier lecture. "How do you do it?"

Evil One looked up at her, looking uncertain. "Is that how I come off?" he asked meekly. "Like I'm fine?"

"Well...yeah." Sky shrugged her shoulders affirmatively. "I just...I don't understand."

"I'm not fine," he replied casually, not even looking up. "Won't be for a while."

"Then what is..." Sky gestured helplessly at the boyish creature sitting on the floor typing away. "What is this, even?"

"I distance myself emotionally by recording events that happen," Evil One replied, his casual tone breaking slightly for the first time. "I've been a follower all my life. Max was the guy I followed the longest. He was a real piece of shit-"

_"That's_ putting it lightly," Sky interrupted, only to receive an uncharacteristic glare from the archivist. "Sorry. Carry on."

Evil One continued. "He was a real piece of shit but he was nice to me. Unless he was completely ignoring me. Did you know your friend Marcus actually captured me at one point, and Max didn't even know I was missing?"

"I thought he was YOUR friend," Sky said. "But wow, that's...low."

Evil One nodded affirmatively. "Yeah. But it was over a decade ago. I thought he shared my enthusiasm for a good story. He enjoyed recording things too. At one point. I guess getting jailed by Max kinda soured him on that."

"Probably," Sky sniffed.

"I also judo slammed Dave that day. That was a good day." He smiled and the two shared a laugh. A dark look passed across his face. "I should have strangled him to death when I had the chance."

Sky looked saddened at this. "I...I wish I'd have shot him. We won't make that mistake again." The two shared in a silence for a few seconds. While Sky hadn't really even interacted with Izzy on anything more than an antagonistic level, she still empathized with the loss of a friend.

Sky finally broke the silence, trying to get back on topic

"So...why record everything? What's the point?"

"The point?" Evil One asked, sounding shocked. The answer should have been obvious what did she know fucking shit obviously I mean come on seriously. "The point is that it's likely that the real story will end up lost. I wanna make sure that in the history textbooks we're portrayed accurately. We're not the bad guys and God knows Al and Heather will try to make us look like we are."

Sky began to feel slightly queasy again. Evil One looked up and seemed to notice. "What's wrong?"

"I just...heard a lot of that from Moreau. I was fully convinced I was doing the right thing, and..." Her stomach turned at the thought. "I spent years working for him...helping him work his way up. He had this..._sincerity _about him."

"The fact that he used to be a businessman probably should have tipped you off," Evil One said flippantly, only to see her hurt expression. "Sorry. I'm not...y'know, really familiar with that kind of devotion."

"Not even to Max after all that time?"

"I won't deny he was my friend, but if he hadn't been the focal point of this entire narrative Al and Heather concocted I'd have left him a long time ago." Evil One looked calmly at her. "I can tell you thought you were doing the right thing, though. So you're just having problems with that?"

Sky shuddered. "I just...when I was at the prison it just reminded me of all the times I poured my heart into these speeches, and I was helping...well, a self-righteous murderer. I'm not keen on rescuing him _or _Max to be honest. And just..." She looked ready to cry. "I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

"Al and Heather owned up to the whole thing," Evil One said calmly. "They made the moral dilemma pretty simple. Normally I'd tell you to look at all sides of the story but they seem to be taking pride in how utterly shitty they are."

"Are you sure? I thought I saw hesitation at one point."

"Eh. Not really the point. Point is, they're completely open about their horrific deeds. It makes it pretty clear. Don't feel like you're doing the wrong thing, okay? We're not Moreau. Or Max for that matter. I trust Noah, and from what I can tell you used to be friends with Shawn and Jasmine. Can you trust them too?"

Sky looked conflicted for a few moments before responding. "I...I think I can. You seem pretty trustworthy too, if not a complete sheep."

"You seem pretty trustworthy as well, if not a complete self-righteous pariah," Evil One shot back.

"...fair enough."

The sound of gunfire from above, and the bunker shook slightly. "What the hell was that?" Sky asked, somewhat annoyed that the heart to heart had been interrupted.

_"Attention, there appear to be drones on the surface above our facility...shooting our door for some reason," _Noah's voice came over the loudspeaker. _"It's not working, sucks for fucking them. Please remain calm and pretend we're not here."_

Another round of explosions and gunfire. Sky readied her weapon just in case. Evil One did as well, heading with her and a few other men to under the hatch where the drones were seemingly firing. Shawn and Jasmine were there as well, looking slightly confused.

Noah's voice came on again. _"Okay, okay, according to our scanners...one of the drones is now waving a white handkerchief in the air and it looks kinda ridiculous. All but one appear to have powered down. Anyone wanna risk going up?"_

"On it," Shawn said calmly, cocking several guns. "I've taken out more of these things than I can count, don't worry about it."

"Wait, why do this?" Sky asked. "It's obviously a trap."

"You haven't been around the lowlife world long enough," Jasmine replied. "There will always be a _lot _of betrayal."

Shawn climbed up and internally Evil One and Sky both wondered why the hell they were doing that. Ultimately they decided to adhere to the admittedly more street savvy duo's wishes.

On the surface, Shawn prepared for the drones to reactivate themselves and try to blast him into oblivion. He was surprised to find that they remained deactivated. The one active drone simply stared at him with a handkerchief in its hand, looking rather ridiculous. Shawn was the slightest bit confused at this. He took a note of the screen on its front, and he cleared his throat.

"Um...hi?"

The screen on the drone turned on and Shawn's stomach turned a bit as a face he hadn't seen for years stared back at him. Scarlett was sitting at a desk with one hand to her chin, looking bored as all hell. Not even Shawn's appearance could faze her now.

"Scarlett? What the hell are you doing?"

_"Forgive the intrusion," _Scarlett said, gazing dully at him. _"I understand it HAS been a while since we last spoke."_

"Yeah, I haven't seen you since Pahkitew. You tried to KILL us, what the hell are you doing?"

_"I'm surprised Noah or Sky haven't filled you in, assuming they're at your location. I'm...ostensibly working with Alejandro and Heather. Or was, at any rate."_

"Wait wait wait," Shawn waved his hands around impatiently. "I heard a rumor you were with Moreau, now you're with Alejandro? And now you're here waving a surrender...yeah I'm probably just going to kill you next time I see you."

_"It's not like that!"_ Scarlett growled. _"I'm not here to kill you, although Alejandro DID assign me the task. I'm here to HELP you."_

"Huh?"

_"Think of it this way,"_ Scarlett rose from her seat and started to pace. _"I've come to the realization that every action I've ever taken has been to the benefit of those two jackasses. They hold all the cards. My life is in their hands."_ A steely glare passed across her face. "_And while I may hate Max with every fiber of my being, I hate being controlled even more. Which is why I'm gifting these drones to you."_

Shawn scoffed. "You really expect us to believe that? You're more stupid than I thought."

_"Since I got involved in this shithole of a conflict I've been through hell,"_ Scarlett rasped. "_I've been tortured, beaten, constantly mistrusted, shot, betrayed at every turn. And now the only reason I'm alive is because I'm a useful pawn?"_ Her eye twitched. _"Don't get me wrong. I don't want to do this. But I'm doing this so I have the opportunity to escape the control of others. I will not be owned. Not by Max. Not by Moreau. Not by Alejandro. You don't have to believe me. But, for whatever it's worth...this is about as truthful as I'll ever get."_

"So these won't explode and kill us?" Shawn gestured his head towards the drones. "Or turn on us?"

_"Believe me, I'd love nothing more than to see_ everyone_ dead. You, Max, Alejandro, Heather, Moreau...as it stands this is a pragmatic choice. If you can kill Alejandro you'll plunge the world into chaos once again, giving me all the opportunities I need to take vengeance on everyone and everything."_

"What if I say no?" Shawn asked. "We have men at our disposal."

_"But not as many as you would like."_

Shawn sighed. "True, but I'd rather have ones with a fixed loyalty. Not mindless, programmable...well, _zombies."_

Scarlett sat back down. _"To answer your question, if you were to decline I'd simply go ahead with what I was going to do. It makes no difference to me whether or not you accept. It's simply an offer."_ She glanced around, as if worried she were being watched. _"The control codes are on them. I must be going. I hope you take the opportunity in front of you."_

The screen shut off, leaving Shawn above ground with a pile of drones at his feet.

_"What the hell happened up there?"_ He heard Noah's voice through his headset.

"Well..." Shawn said hesitantly. "You might not like it, but...I think we just got ourselves a slight edge."

* * *

_"Still no word on Dave, then?"_

Alejandro stared into the room where scientists were currently working on torturing the nuclear codes out of MIC. The AI had apparently been built to withstand a lot of punishment. The most eerie thing about the room where MIC had been uploaded was that there was no noise. It was a drab, unassuming room, the only indication of MIC's presence being the blue screen at the back. Techies would type in various codes designed to disorient, manipulate, torture it. But no one would be able to tell just by looking.

All they would see would be an occasionally flickering blue screen.

Alejandro sighed. Heather had neglected to use the video function for the call. Likely out of habit, they would occasionally share clandestine messages back when they were supposedly on separate sides of the conflict. Also there was some more...lewd uses that they'd done once or twice. They missed each other's presence after all.

"No," Alejandro sighed. "He's gone underground. Drones aren't working on him, he's too smart for that. Pity."

_"Why the hell would you try and kill him? You know how dependent he was on you."_ Heather's voice sounded casual, but there was a hint of something else that Alejandro couldn't really identify.

"He was unstable," Alejandro said finally. "A rabid dog. He needed to be put down."

_"You trying to put him down pretty much turned him into a rabid dog."_

Alejandro rolled his eyes although he knew she couldn't see. "He had some _pretty clear _psychological issues! All I did was speed up the process."

_"He's coming for you, you know."_

Alejandro snorted at this. "He has nothing to back it up with. As long as he's alive and killing people we still benefit in some way. He kills our men, more want to kill him. He kills the enemy, well, we still win, don't we? It's why we kept Scarlett alive so long."

_"It's why _I_ kept Scarlett alive for so long."_

Alejandro paused for a long time. "Right. And I appreciate that."

_"Thank you,"_ Heather's voice said, sincere in her statement for once. _"Dave is different. He worked for us willingly. Him and Noah. Hmn. Two skinny, nerdy Indian males working for you. Do you have a fetish or..."_

"Ew no," Alejandro cringed, and seemed embarrassed as Heather's electronic laughter filled the air. "That was just coincidence."

_"Just kidding. So...changing topics a bit...are you gonna kill Scarlett?"_

Alejandro continued watching as the blue screen distorted even more, people gathering around it. Seems they had a breakthrough on their hands.

"Yes," he said simply. "There's no way that after our most recent conversation she isn't plotting to betray us. I wounded her ego too much."

_"You _know_ you're smarter than she could ever hope to be, though."_

"How sweet," Alejandro said sincerely, giving a small, satisfied smile. "To be honest...that's the problem though. I'm too smart for these people. _We're _too smart. It's boring." Alejandro started walking away from the room, Matheson falling in at his side. "It's why I'm glad there's still people out there who know the truth. It's why I'm glad that a rumor has spread underground that Moreau is not fully in charge. It's why I'm hoping that tomorrow's execution will go to hell. Because it's _fun."_

Static over the phone for a few seconds. Heather responded reluctantly. _"I guess if you're enjoying it...but...you know why we started this. Is that really the reason? Because it's 'fun?'"_

Alejandro laughed. "You worry too much. Besides. It'll be over soon, any way it happens." He let out a deep sigh as he returned to the throne room, sitting down in the chair. "I have work to do. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

_"Okay, sounds good. I'll be going then. I love you."_

Alejandro allowed himself a wistful, genuine smile.

"I love you too."

* * *

"Rise and shine, asshole."

Max groaned from the ground, struggling to bring himself into a sitting position. His arms were constantly trembling and Scarlett's frankly sadistic beatings had worn him down quickly into a bruised, bloody slab of fat. It was hard to do anything anymore. They'd transferred him out of Scarlett's cell and placed him in a more temporary prison closer to what used to be Times Square. The crowds would make it difficult to get him to the execution alive. And boy did they love their show.

"What day is it?" Max croaked, rubbing his eyes blearily.

"You know what day it is" the guard said. Marcus and a few other guards stood outside. "Get on your feet."

Max complied. The guard placed handcuffs on Max. The former overlord stumbled towards the door wearily. Guards surrounded him, Marcus remaining at the back.

"Can't you stop this?" Max panicked. Despite the fact that he knew he had a chance to live, he still couldn't help feeling completely terrified of what was going on around him. A lot of walking tended to blur together.

"Why would we?" Marcus asked. "I've been waiting for this moment a long time."

"We...we worked together..."

"Briefly, and I was technically partnered to James, not you," Marcus sniffed. "And you got me in jail."

"So you help with genocide?"

Marcus faltered at this, but kept the guards moving as the mob's chants and cries became clearer.

Max never received an answer from him. The silence from the guards contrasted against the rising volume of the crowd. Finally, the world was open to him. Sunlight came streaming in, nearly blinding him as he stumbled around. Again he took the stage he'd once addressed the same crowd before Moreau had completely ruined him in the eyes of the people.

Max had always felt small. Being five foot zero had done nothing to help this.

But as he stood before hundreds upon thousands of people all cheering for his destruction, he felt like the most insignificant speck in the universe.

* * *

**Next chapter is gonna be pretty freaking big. Good luck everyone, and have fun.**


	24. Chapter 24: Bullet

**Hey all! It's time for possibly one of the biggest chapters yet, hope it works out. Be sure to review, it definitely helps me want to do this.**

* * *

Moreau had never been the nervous type.

He'd never had much to be nervous about. As a boy he'd pretty much had everything handed to him on a silver platter. Even when Max had taken over and started wrecking shit, he'd managed to keep a cool head. It had been what allowed him to attract so many followers to him. It was one of his greatest strengths and one of his proudest attributes.

But now, with the crowd roaring his name and Max Vile ready to be executed, he was about ready to faint.

His usual customary speech would precede Max's demise. Max would be hauled up on stage with much fanfare. The chosen method of execution was a bullet to the head. To make the occasion memorable, Alejandro had made a special, somewhat sick request. The executioner's gun was now loaded with the bullets that had killed Izzy. Some of the bullets had had to be remolded but the cruel intent was still there. The only people who knew about this particular request were Heather, Marcus, Moreau, and Max himself. Alejandro had taken great pleasure in letting his former pawn know about it.

Alejandro was all about those little displays of power. Of control. From taking Max's throne for his own, to planting a fucking bomb in Moreau's head, now this? Moreau wanted nothing more than to beat that smug prick senseless. Unfortunately, every time he even talked back to Alejandro, he would simply raise the detonator in a manner that only infuriated Moreau even more. He hoped to God (this was unusual from a self-professed atheist) that Noah's forces had a plan to disarm it. If not, his brains would be everywhere and everything would go into chaos.

Times Square was packed. Drones and soldiers patrolled both on the streets and the rooftops. Maximum security was in effect. Yet somehow Moreau couldn't shake the feeling that Alejandro expected and WANTED there to be resistance. It didn't make any sense to Moreau. Nothing any of these idiots did made any sense. Not when Max was in charge. Not when Alejandro was in charge. It was devoted to cruel ironies, gloating, and grandstanding. All of it pointless in the end.

Quietly, he straightened his tie. Marcus was busy escorting Max to the execution, so one of Max's former soldiers known as Larry was policing him. Larry was a bit out of his depth but was ultimately too afraid of Alejandro or Heather's wrath to do anything. His job was rather pointless as Alejandro would actually be joining him onstage. Formalities, mostly. Alejandro was all about formalities, keeping up appearances. Not like Moreau could blame him.

The businessman sighed. "We ready?"

"Yup, you're up," Larry sighed, before muttering something about how what the hell did he do to deserve this what is with you people.

Moreau broke into a confident stride as he walked onstage, once again feeling ready to vomit as the crowd chanted his name. He waved and smiled falsely. He'd had a lot of practice. Quickly, he took the microphone, acutely aware of Alejandro standing with his arms folded in his peripheral. Another glance showed him that Scarlett was stationed in a nearby building a few floors up, several armed guards at her side. He glanced at her suspiciously. She had something cooked up and he didn't know if he liked it at all.

God he hoped that they came through.

"Max Vile." He spat out the words. "You know the name. I'll keep this brief. For too long Max's utter stupidity has destroyed us. We've died a billion times. There is not a single person here who hasn't lost someone because of him. So it is my great pleasure to say, once and for all, that he will never pollute us again. Bring him forward."

Max slowly walked up the steps, Marcus and a few other guards trailing him with guns pointed at him. As soon as he came into view the crowd immediately began booing. Various items were thrown at him. Some fruit, rocks, and the like. One hit him in the face and cut his cheek, but he seemed to be in a daze. Moreau couldn't blame him. He'd been through a lot of shit.

Moreau strained his eyes as he looked out over the crowd, scanning for what would hopefully be various rioters in the area. Confusion would be the key. Moreau turned to look at Alejandro for a moment, who held the detonator in his hand. The first few moments would be crucial. If he could use the confusion to take out the guards and destroy the detonator, he'd be golden. At least until the resistance could take him, and hopefully be able to remove it. He really really hoped they could.

Max was shoved onto the ground, remaining on his knees. The executioner-a small yet muscular dark skinned man-played around with the revolver in his hand. Gradually the chanting increased in volume. Everyone was ready for the tyrannical dictator to be brought to an end. To usher in a new age of peace and tranquility.

Alejandro nodded to Moreau. Moreau in turn gestured to the executioner, before heading to the microphone one last time. "Now, we will be rid of him. He has declined a request for last words. Executioner, when you're ready."

Moreau stepped away from the mic, placing his hands in his pockets. He had no gun, and while his wounds had been healed by the advanced technology Alejandro had granted him, he was out of his league here. He'd have to play it smart.

The executioner made a grand show of it. Holding the gun up in the air, pacing around menacingly, the like. Was that all these people cared about? A good show? If Moreau had headed this he wouldn't allow this grandstanding. Shoot him and be done with it. Moreau had only ever cared about public opinion after becoming a revolutionary. In terms of pragmatism and public image, pragmatism would generally win out.

Alejandro's eyes began to shift. He found it difficult to concentrate with the relative wall of noise that was the crowd. His eyes went to the rooftops, where he thought he saw someone. He wasn't quite sure yet, though. Part of him hoped that someone was there. Just to make things a bit more interesting. The trait of someone whose game plans always involved him benefiting in some way. He and Heather both had been gifted with that power-to twist things to their advantage. He was used to using it and hoped he could. Just to prove he could.

The executioner stood over Max, and moved his arm so that the gun was pointed right at Max's head. The crowd's chanting reached inhuman pitch. Max looked up in weary confusion, barely capable of even comprehending what was about to happen.

The shot was fired.

The executioner's blood splattered Max as the soldier collapsed to the ground, and everything went to hell.

Gunfire from the crowd, and screaming arose. Alejandro's eyes widened as what appeared to be some of his own drones attacking the soldiers stationed there.

Moving at an almost inhuman speed, Moreau chopped Larry in the neck with his fingers, swiftly nabbing his gun and kicking him down the stairs. A few more shots and Alejandro was going for the detonator. Moreau grabbed his wrist, a look of fury on his face. With a moving of his hand he crushed the detonator. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Max scrambling away, hurriedly, but he didn't have time to worry about that now.

"You sure you wanna risk that?" he hissed. "You wanna take yourself with me?"

"I've prepared for this eventuality," Alejandro said coolly as he took out a switchblade, ready to cut him open. "You won't be a problem."

A stab, and Moreau backed off. Alejandro lunged and sliced wherever he could, and it was all Moreau could do to dodge him. He couldn't keep it up for long. Alejandro would have reinforcements come in soon. Moreau yelled and kicked Alejandro in the shins. The mastermind staggered, and Moreau moved in with a right hook.

Unfortunately, he'd left himself wide open.

Moreau screamed in pain as the knife pierced his stomach. Alejandro had pointedly allowed him no protection whatsoever. Moreau fell to his knees and Alejandro looked down at him with disgust.

"HEY, ASSWIPE!" Alejandro cried out as a bullet pierced his leg. He turned to see several soldiers approaching him, led by Shawn. Cursing, he motioned for more of his men to engage them. He ran backstage, gunfire trailing him all the way.

Moreau groaned as the wound where Sky had shot him had reopened. He staggered around slightly, and Shawn ran upstage, shooting drones and soldiers as he went. "Sorry about this," he said apologetically, holding up a needle.

"Do what you must," Moreau sighed.

A prick, then suddenly Moreau's vision faded to black.

It was all out of his hands now.

* * *

The entire place was in complete chaos. Drones fought drones, and Noah's forces scattered throughout at key choke points. Evil One and Sky were located near the front and it was all they could do to not be completely trampled in the chaos. People running, screaming, bleeding, dying everywhere they looked. Sky let out a shot that destroyed a drone, and Evil One strained his eyes as he swam through the crowds in the opposite way, trying to make sure he could get Max out of there.

Finally, the area near the front was empty of all civilians and Evil One spotted Max on the stage, trying to limp away while Moreau and Alejandro fought. His eyes shifted to Marcus in the front, who was raising his gun to Max, ready to kill him.

Evil One fired off a shot, which although it missed Marcus redirected his attention. "Get Max!" he called to Sky. "I've got him."

Sky nodded and ran. Marcus aimed a shot at her but Evil One caught his attention once again, with a bullet grazing his cheek. "Seriously, James?"

"Why help them?" Evil One asked as they circled around, dead bodies and rubble strung around them. Some from Moreau's attack, some from Noah's. "Just because you hate Max? You'd willingly help someone who's committed genocide?"

"I mean, it's not like I have much of a choice," Marcus said. "Gotta go with the winner, right?" A shot and Evil One yelled as his arm was hit. He ran directly at Marcus, almost as if daring to kill him. Marcus fired and missed another shot and with a punch Evil One knocked the weapon out of his hands.

"I don't think that's it," Evil One said as he dropped his own weapon to the ground, aiming a kick for him. "You were a smartass but not like this. Nah, I think you're like me."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Marcus snarled, slamming Evil One in the face and knocking him to the ground. "I'm not a sheep. Not like you."

"Nah," Evil One grinned, staggering to his feet. "I think you're out of your depth and you're just doing the best you can. And if you're still into recording things that went down..."

Several drones appeared nearby, and Marcus furiously pointed at Evil One. "Kill him!"

Marcus fled and Evil One screamed shrilly as gunfire surrounded him. The drones fell to the ground. Sky stood before him, holding up a battered and bruised Max. Max looked dazed and disoriented but was cradling the executioner's gun in his hand. Neither of them seemed to know why but chose not to ask. For good reason, really.

"Your lover's quarrel over?" she asked sardonically, and Evil One scoffed as they moved on, firing at soldiers and drones as they went.

* * *

Scarlett smiled in satisfaction from her perch a few stories above, watching as everything went to shit. She took particular delight in seeing the drones she'd gifted them come into play. If she were in charge of their operation she'd have used the drones to attack the citizens, making it look like Moreau and Alejandro were pulling a Max. Ah well. Still worked just as well.

"Fuck," one of the guards said, pacing around nervously in place, always making sure to keep her gun pointed at Scarlett. "No one's picking up. Not Alejandro, not Marcus, not Matheson..."

The other guard seemed fairly unconcerned, not raising his voice at all. "If we don't hear from them in three minutes, we'll just kill her and join the battle. It'll be okay."

Scarlett smiled to herself as she felt the blade in her pocket. Her timing would have to be perfect. Fortunately, she'd had plenty of practice.

"Just shoot her now," the female guard said, raising her gun and standing furiously. "That seems to be the mistake everyone _else _has made."

With a quick motion of her hand, Scarlett sliced the female guard in the throat. The gun fell to the ground and the guard fell to the ground, gagging and sputtering as she tried to keep the blood in. The other guard screamed and raised his gun but it was too late. The knife pierced his throat and he joined his compatriot on the ground. Scarlett finished off each with a quick stab to the forehead. Humming to herself, she cleaned off the blade using her shirt.

"Time to bail," she muttered to herself. She thought about picking up the gun but if she were completely honest with herself she had no fucking idea how to use that kind of thing.

As she was about to leave the room, her skin crawled as she heard Alejandro's tinny voice come from one of the dead guard's headsets. _"You're not going to win."_

"I'm ignoring you," Scarlett hissed as she walked through the door, now inside the building.

_"I'm not dumb enough to only have sent two guards to watch you," _Alejandro replied cheerfully. _"Have fun!"_

"What?" Scarlett barely had time to react before a large mass slammed into her, sending her crashing to the ground. Screaming, she struggled as Matheson pulled out a switchblade. It seemed as if he'd already used all of his gun ammo elsewhere, and for that she was glad.

Scarlett kicked him in the ankle, and he stumbled, allowing her to stand back up. She held the dagger tightly as he rose back up as well, and the two circled around each other for a while. She'd have to bail on this fight. There was no way she could win.

As they continued circling, Scarlett found herself near one of the doors. Quickly she burst into a sprint, fleeing. As she went, her hair came undone once more, and she didn't dare look back at the veritable bear charging towards her. She'd have to find the stairs out of the building. Hopefully the subway system would be open again for her to take refuge. Then she'd get the hell out of the city and...then what? She didn't fucking know. If she were completely honest with herself she'd probably never known in the first place

She found the stairs and instinctively halted to avoid taking an unscheduled fall.

A kick to her back and she screamed as she tumbled down the marble stairs, bruising herself all the way. She came to a stop at a landing, where she lay there, dazed. Matheson moved down slowly, knife in hand as he reached the even floor. Scarlett went for her knife but he kicked it away. He pinned her in place on the floor and Scarlett's stomach dropped as she felt fear for the first time in her life.

Matheson raised the knife, and plunged it into her left eye.

Scarlett shrieked in pain, convulsing as the blood splattered everywhere. Matheson pulled it out and released her. She curled up on the ground, hands covering her eye as blood stained the ground. She sobbed pitifully on the ground,

"I've been ordered to make you suffer," Matheson said stoically. "And that's what I intend to do." He raised the knife once more, and prepared to end it.

Scarlett screamed and lunged for him. Matheson cried out in pain as Scarlett bit him in his leg, hard enough to draw blood. Scarlett scrambled away, almost on all fours, keeping one hand to her eye as she sobbed violently and pitifully.

Matheson picked up both his knife and hers, and prepared to pursue. However, he was stopped by Alejandro's voice coming through his headset.

_"You're required elsewhere, Matheson. Max is getting away and he's near your location. Intelligence reports they're headed to the subway station."_

"Sir, she's still alive. I can still kill her."

_"Dammit!" _Matheson winced as Alejandro's voice came through. _"She's not priority right now! Max and Moreau are ESCAPING and with all this fucking panic no one can find them! They've taken control of the subway system so if they get there they can make it out of the city! DON'T LET IT HAPPEN!"_

"Yes sir," Matheson grimaced, feeling the pain in his leg. Bitch really could bite. What a fucking lunatic. "I'll get right on it."

* * *

"It's really good to see you again, sir," Evil One said, reverting back to his sycophantic behaviors unknowingly. The three had moved inside of an old building where several more of their men had gathered, fighting off Alejandro's troops.

"Thank you," Max said, too weary to even be snide. "I'm glad you came. How did you...do this?"

_"I suppose I could use a thank you," _Noah's voice came through the headset. _"I came up with the plan."_

"Well, thank you," Max said weakly. "Thank you. So...what's the plan?"

"These buildings connect through a series of passageways that we can take to the subway station," Sky said. "From there we'll be picked up and driven to a safe spot where we'll be picked up by aircraft."

"What about Moreau?" Max asked weakly.

_"Shawn should have picked him up by now," _Noah said. _"He's a bit difficult but we're lucky his chip operates on brain waves. We'll have to get it out as soon as possible or else they'll be able to track us."_

Max nodded, and held his gun up. "Alright. Let's get started."

The soldiers under Sky and Evil One's command raised their guns. Sky took the lead, maneuvering through the halls of the old buildings and blasting apart passing drones as they went. Several of their soldiers were downed on the way, but every time Max's head snapped back Evil One kept pushing him forward. They didn't have time to worry anymore.

Finally, Sky burst open a door and they were out in the open. Total chaos lay before them. Dead bodies, destroyed drones, as the war raged around them. They could hear a high-pitched shriek from a nearby building that chilled them to the bone. They didn't have time to investigate but none of them were comfortable in this environment. Not even Sky, who'd dedicated most of the last decade to fighting.

"Come on!" Sky said, pointing to the subway station on the sidewalk across the street. "Let's go!"

They ran across the street. Evil One let off a few shots, injuring the soldiers trying to fire at them. The problem with fighting in a big city was that it was all too easy to spread one's forces too thin. That combined with the fact that it was still recovering from Moreau's invasion meant that it was all too easy to with minimal troops spread Alejandro's forces out so that they wouldn't know what was coming.

A roar from behind them, and they turned to see Matheson picking up the gun of one of his fallen soldiers, firing rapidly and precisely at them. Sky yelled as her leg was hit, and quickly a few soldiers steadied her. Evil One returned fire. Max calmly raised the executioner's gun and fired. The bullet hit Matheson in the stomach and he yelled out, falling to the ground. A look of fury passed across Max's face as he raised it to fire again but Evil One stopped him by putting his hand on his wrist.

"Let's go!" Evil One yelled, escorting Sky and Max down the stairs as their remaining soldiers returned fire. They moved quickly past the security checkpoints.

"We're ready for pickup, but we have injured," Evil One spoke into his mic.

_"Good. Jasmine's mission was a bust, and Shawn's already on the train with Moreau. They're headed to your position now," _Noah said. _"Hang tight."_

Sky raised her gun weakly and aimed it up the stairs, just in case more soldiers came down. Evil One and the other soldiers followed suit.

"Thank you all..." Max said weakly.

"I don't like you very much," Sky said bluntly. "Or Moreau. But I'd prefer to work with you and screw over Alejandro and Heather."

"I'm not missing the action," Evil One said. "And there's no way I'm letting them win."

Max nodded and smiled. "Thank you again."

As Alejandro's soldiers came down the stairs, they felt the whoosh as the subway arrived. They fired, taking cover behind benches and the like, dropping them as the subway slowly sped to a stop. Finally, the doors opened and with only one more casualty, they walked inside, returning fire all the way.

The doors closed, and the subway started moving again. They could still hear gunfire.

Shawn, his soldiers, and the unconscious Moreau were in the car behind them. Evil One looked through the window and made eye contact with Shawn, giving a thumbs up. The zombie enthusiast grinned back and returned the thumbs up.

"We're going to get out of here," Evil One told Max gently. "And we're going to make them pay. Okay?"

Max nodded and curled up on the ground. "I'm gonna sleep now...wake me up when things go to shit again."

"Will do," Sky nodded, as she started to bandage her wounds. Evil One slumped against the wall and began doing the same.

It had been a tough time of it. But in the end they'd won.

It would only be a matter of doing it again. Next time on a larger scale.

* * *

"What the hell do we do now?"

Heather had chosen to put herself on the screen this time. She didn't appear to be physically injured but the stress and worry were evident on her face. Alejandro smiled gently from inside the hospital wing where his wounds were being bandaged.

"It's okay, Heather. I expected something like this. It isn't that big a setback."

"That big a setback? We lost both Max AND Moreau! NOW what?"

"You're not seeing the opportunity at hand," Alejandro said simply.

"Well excuse me for being a little on edge! You know, when they sent an assailant after me!"

"They did WHAT?" Alejandro's composure broke. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Oh my God if they hurt you-"

"I'm fine," Heather replied. "We went into lockdown as soon as things went to shit on your end. They didn't stand a chance. They retreated."

"Good, good," Alejandro sighed in relief. "Good to hear."

"So what's this 'opportunity' you're blathering about?"

Alejandro smiled simply. "Moreau is missing."

"Yeah, so?"

Alejandro shrugged his shoulders. "We've had to rely on pawns for too long. It was well-known that Moreau worked with us by the time of the execution. If we were to, say, tell everyone Moreau is dead...and that Max did it, and is leading a revolution to destroy what Moreau had tried to create..."

Heather's face softened as she realized what he was saying. "We could take direct control and paint Max as the bad guy again. And everyone who associates with him."

"Exactly," Alejandro smirked. "All that we have to do is kill Moreau. Now, ideally, I could use the nice little chip I have in his head, but no doubt they're working on suppressing or removing it."

"So what then?"

Alejandro folded his arms. "They'll be attacking again. I'm sure of it. When they do, they'll lead us back to their base. There, we'll kill Moreau and Max will have no chance of revealing us."

Heather adopted her boyfriend's smirk, though it seemed a little more forced. "Good. Well, I must be going. Stay safe."

"You too," Alejandro said wistfully, and he cut off the connection. He lay in bed, feeling pain for the first time in a while.

They had this in the bag. Right?

* * *

Blood everywhere. It was all that was in her head now. Blood blood blood. Black and red. Darkness in half of her eye. It was gone, all gone. All all gone.

How could anyone live like this? And why was she being tortured this way? Not like. She didn't do. Anything to deserve this.

Scarlett staggered through the alleyway, a dirty, poorly applied bandage wrapped around what used to be her left eye. It had taken some scrounging but now that the battle was over she had had a fairly easy time. Everyone was hurt, bleeding. She was just another broken soul in the crowd. She'd evaded the remaining drones and knew that she had to get out of the city. All that remained was how.

She got the feeling that she was being followed. By whom or by what she had no idea.

Or maybe her mind was just going. Maybe it'd already gone. She couldn't tell. The only constant in her life now was the pain. She'd thought she'd almost gotten used to it.

She'd worn out all the sobs and now all she could feel was the pain and pulsing where her eye used to be. Quickly she opened the door to an abandoned warehouse, moaning as she dragged herself inside, before slumping against a wall, defeated.

How could this be? How could she have been outsmarted? Again and again and again. It was all the same. Over and over and over.

"Having trouble?"

Scarlett scrambled, trying to find her knife only to discover that there was none. She saw the figure in the door frame and she skittered around, breathing heavily.

"Who are you," she snarled. "What the hell are you doing here, and why are you following me?"

"Scarlett, right?" the figure asked. "It _has _been a while, huh. Ha, weird."

"Are you here to kill me?" Scarlett asked, voice cracking as she finally let the fear show.

The figure was quiet for a minute before responding. "I came to watch the battle. I was not disappointed. I just wanna know. Who...did this to you?"

"One of Alejandro's dogs," Scarlett growled.

"So...do you want to kill him?"

"I would love to," Scarlett seethed, a bitter laugh entering her voice.

"Is that all?"

Scarlett paused, but decided she had nothing left to lose. "No...no. Now that I'm...in this state?" A disturbed look passed across her face, and she curled her fists violently, as if trying to strangle the air. "I want to kill them _all._ Every. Last. One. Max. Alejandro. Heather. The civilians..._everyone." _She started giggling, and pulled at her hair. To start with her main motivation had been to survive. Now? After constantly being tortured, beaten down, and left for dead? She was ready to make people pay.

"Good," the figure responded, a slight amusement in his voice. "Because, well...that's...that's kinda what I want too. Care to join me? I can help."

Scarlett narrowed her remaining eye. "Who...are you..."

The figure laughed. "I understand that, like I said, it has been a while. And that it's rather dark in here." The sound of a match lighting, and the flame lit up the room, revealing a face Scarlett had never expected to see again.

"I want to kill everyone too," Dave said, a desensitized glint in his eye and a feral grin on his face. "Everyone's hurt me and they're all going to pay. But I can't do it alone. And it looks like you could use some help too..." He offered his hand to her. "How about we combine our efforts?"

Scarlett rose to her feet, emotions processing inside her mind. She'd heard much of his exploits and frankly admired him for killing Izzy. And...well, they both could use some help right about now. Finally, a determined grin set across her face, and she grasped his hand firmly.

"Dave. I believe you have yourself a deal."

* * *

**While there were no major character deaths in this, I hope it was...adequately game-changing. I've pretty much decided that it's gonna be a 12 chapter thing-there's no way I can fit everything else I want to in this Act in just six chapters without it feeling incredibly rushed. Hope you all enjoyed, and happy late Valentine's Day I guess. Maybe you can find some way anything in this chapter relates to love? I don't even fucking know.**

**Ciao ciao.**


	25. Chapter 25: Arrogance

**Before I forget, there's a poll up on my profile you dudes should find interesting. ;) Anyways I spoke too soon on the "32 chapter" thing so to be freaking honest i have no idea how long this act is going to be, and it's still just gonna be me seeing how long it takes things to develop naturally. Anyways, on with the show!**

* * *

"It's unfortunate she's still alive."

Alejandro stood while looking out the window, aware of how acutely villainous he looked. Here he was, relaying orders to have a resistance movement killed, making grandiose speeches, and now he was staring out the window menacingly with his back turned to his subordinates. He had to stifle a laugh at this. Matheson and Marcus stood before him. Marcus looked uncomfortable while Matheson looked bored as all hell. Both were being chastised for their inability to complete their respective tasks, but Alejandro had never been one to execute subordinates who had failed him. Dave had been the one time exception to this rule. And seeing how it backfired Alejandro had no plans to do anything again.

"To be fair sir," Matheson said bluntly. "You told me to make her suffer. And before I could finish her off you called me to take care of Max and Moreau before they could escape. She lost an eye and she has nowhere to go. If she's alive she won't be for long."

"She's resourceful," Alejandro said simply, turning around to face his two henchmen. "I've resolved not to make that mistake again. It was foolish of me to put fun over what needs to be done. I'm not infallible, friends. But I won't make the same mistake twice."

"Yes sir," Matheson said gruffly.

"As for you," Alejandro said, directing his attention to Marcus. "You're a capable soldier and I trust you. But you've been producing a lack of results. You failed to stop two people from taking Max. You were knocked unconscious by _Dave _of all people. Which is why I want to give you a break."

"Sir, just because I have a personal stake in this doesn't mean I should be put on the sidelines," Marcus protested.

"You misunderstand," Alejandro said. "I'm just concerned for your well being. And you won't be put on the sidelines. This is important."

"How so?"

Alejandro pulled up a holographic image of a man holding a gun. "This is Shawn Smith. Another former Total Drama contestant. I'm not surprised he's made it this far. The assailant Heather is currently tracking also matches the description of his girlfriend, Jasmine. As such I have an idea as to why we can't get a lock on Moreau's position. They've likely been hiding out in his bunker that he bought with the prize money from Pahkitew Island, disrupting the signal."

"Smart," Marcus commented. "You sure about this?"

"It would explain why we can't find them," Alejandro said. "Which is why I'm entrusting you to the task of finding where they're hiding. Heather's working on it as well, but the more the merrier. Once we find them, we either draw them out and kill Moreau, or slaughter them inside their home base, ridding ourselves of this pest problem once and for all. At that point you'll sit out, yes, but I like to give my employees a bit of a break sometimes."

Marcus looked hesitant. "If you're certain...I'll get on it."

"Are you uncomfortable, Marcus?" Matheson asked bluntly.

"No, no...just...surprised," Marcus said, shuffling his feet around.

"That's fine," Alejandro smiled. "Do what you will, and report back to me. Adios, friend."

With a wave of his hand, Alejandro dismissed Marcus, who bowed stiffly before exiting the room.

"Do you trust him?" Matheson asked.

"Partly," Alejandro sighed. "I think he's up to something, but I don't think of him as any more of a threat than his former partner is on their side. He has nowhere else to go. He'll remain loyal."

"If you're certain," Matheson said. "How is MIC's torture going?"

"Almost there," Alejandro replied. "Just a few more hours."

"That's a complicated AI for it to take this long."

"I know," Alejandro laughed slightly. "I'm impressed. We'll get the weapons soon enough. Dismissed, Matheson."

The assassin nodded stiffly and took his leave. Alejandro sat down in the throne, musing to himself. Things would be speeding up and he'd have to be able to think fast to come out on top.

He could handle it.

* * *

"Does it feel any better?"

Whereas a more caring individual might have phrased the question with a concerned tone, Dave said the words with a detached and oddly curious tone.

"The bright lights aren't helping," Scarlett groaned, squinting her remaining eye as the two walked through the brightly lit building with white walls, floor, and ceiling. The only respite from the brightness was the blood from the security guards leaking onto the floor. Individually Dave and Scarlett probably would have been gunned down, but together they'd managed to break inside.

"Right," Dave said. "Well, that's why we're here. Gotta hold up each of our ends of the bargain, after all." He giggled slightly. "And I'd rather have two eyes watching my back than just one."

"What, it's not out of the goodness of your heart?" Scarlett asked teasingly, snickering slightly. "What a shame."

"It's a good thing our interests line up," Dave said. "First things first, though." Quickly he burst open a door, holding up his gun with a chilling calmness. They'd burst into the middle of an operation with several doctors performing eye surgery. Dave fired off a few shots, scaring them into submission. Their screams filled the air.

"EVERYONE ON THE GROUND!" he yelled. "OR I'LL KILL YOU ALL!" The three doctors complied, cowering on the ground with their hands behind their heads.

"Dramatic much?" Scarlett asked dryly, before wincing as more pain pulsed behind her bandage. It wasn't particularly a well-done bandage and the week had started to wear it thin. Changing it was a pain too and it was a good thing Dave didn't seem to mind blood anymore. She'd recalled him being particularly germaphobic but she supposed his mental snap had done something to him. He'd been dirt-caked and filthy the entire time she'd been with him and he seemed...well, no crazier than he already was.

"It works," Dave said in a monotone voice. He moved forward, moving the gun between the three doctors. "How many of you can implant an Echo Eye? I've heard that this place is top of the line, SOMEONE should be able to do it."

Hands shaking, one of the doctors raised her hand. Dave tilted his head. "Just you? How many people does it need?"

"I-It's a fairly simple process," she stuttered. "Painful but I should be able to do it. Could you spare them-"

Having heard all he needed to hear, Dave turned his gun to the other two doctors, and promptly shot both in the head. Scarlett allowed a small, impressed smile to spread across her face. The remaining doctor put her hands to her mouth to cover up her scream.

"Can you do it here?" Dave asked.

The doctor nodded, nearly hyperventilating. She tried to slow her breathing, and responded. "I'll need the implant here. I assume it's for her?" She gestured towards Scarlett, whose bandage was becoming bloody again. "How long has she been without it, and does she...still have residue?"

"It's been a week," Dave said, and the doctor grimaced, air hissing through her teeth. "Will that be a problem?"

"I-It'll be a bit harder...nothing too much but you'd be lucky if you didn't get infected."

"Just do it," Scarlett grit her teeth.

"I'll need an implant first," the doctor said. Casually, Dave took an electronic eye out of his pocket. "...and you already have it, alright. I-I'll get to work on it..."

"Excellent," Scarlett said. "Prepare the equipment."

The doctor hurriedly and frantically began setting up the surgery equipment, trying to ignore the dead bodies of her friends around her.

Scarlett slumped against the wall, and Dave kept the gun pointed at the doctor, while still talking to Scarlett.

"After this, what's next?" Scarlett asked. "We've spent a week trying to get into this place, we haven't had a chance to talk about what comes next. We ARE just two people after all."

"After my," Dave paused and allowed himself to look a little self-satisfied, _"revelation, _I ransacked a Signal Industries facility for files. I found where they're holding a program known as MIC that knows the location of Max's nuclear devices."

Scarlett whistled softly. "That could prove...handy. With our shared goal."

"The problem is that it's back in New York," Dave sighed. "During Max's execution I tried to use the distraction as a way to get in there, but it ended up not working out." His eye twitched slightly. "It's unfortunate that we'll have to sneak back into the city but it shouldn't be too hard." He laughed.

"We get in there, figure out the nuclear codes, head to the location, and we have a nuclear arsenal ." Scarlett smirked. "I like it."

"Knew you would," Dave said, eyes dull and lifeless, contrasting with his manic grin.

The doctor walked back over to them. "I-It's ready."

"Excellent," Scarlett said, hoisting herself up, staggering slightly. Dave supported her and she slid onto the slab of metal. The doctor pulled out a syringe filled with a green liquid.

"What's that?" Scarlett asked, a note of panic in her voice.

"Anesthetic," the doctor replied. "You _don't _want to be conscious for this. Even if I knock you out completely it'll still be a difficult job."

"If you do anything to harm me..." Scarlett hissed.

"He'll kill me," the doctor said in a calmer voice. "I've got it, _Bonnie_. I know my options here. I'd prefer to live."

"You're a smart woman," Scarlett smirked, pulling back her sleeve. The doctor pressed the syringe into her arm and Scarlett closed her eye.

"You might want to leave the room for this," the doctor told Dave.

"Why?" Dave asked. "How do I know you won't kill her?"

"Well, unless you _like _seeing people's empty eye sockets and watching them convulse and possibly scream."

Dave giggled at this, holding a hand to his mouth. The doctor's stomach turned and she didn't know how to respond.

"O-Okay..." She started unwrapping the bandage around Scarlett's eye. "I'd recommend you leave. You're making me anxious."

"If you hurt her, I kill you," Dave warned again.

"I've got it," the doctor sighed. "You...really don't have to keep repeating that."

Dave grimaced and left the room. As he neared the exit, he heard the doctor address Scarlett.

"I must warn you, even under anesthesia, this operation will...not be pleasant."

The last thing he heard before the door closed was the sound of Scarlett screaming.

* * *

However Alejandro had managed to plant a chip into Moreau's head, at any rate it wasn't coming out.

Another week had passed since they'd successfully and with minimal casualties managed to rescue both Max and Moreau from the clutches of the enemy. The whole time, Moreau had been kept sedated due to the chip's reliance on brainwaves. Their sole surgeon had figured out how to numb the transmission, and it helped that they were now under multiple layers of lead. Alejandro would not be able to hone in on their signal or activate the bomb, but there was no way they could get it out.

The rest had recuperated to varying degrees of success. They didn't have near the amount of medical equipment that Alejandro and Heather now possessed. Sky, Evil One, and Shawn had received minimal wounds but Max's beatings and weakened state had been hard to cure. He'd vomited up all food given to him. Shawn had reluctantly offered baby food, which they'd ended up having to force feed him.

Jasmine had failed in her mission to capture Heather, but had remained close to her location in an attempt to keep an eye on her and any transmissions coming in and out. Noah wanted to send more forces to extract her but they were currently hard pressed. They were concerned that there was the possibility they were being watched. Shawn and Jasmine's bunker had two entrances: the main one and a secret tunnel that that opened up in a former neighbor's basement about a block away. Handy if they needed an escape route and were pinned down, but ultimately not currently in use.

Max, Sky, and Evil One sat in uncomfortable silence outside of the operating room. While the latter two appeared to be somewhat relaxed, Max kept fidgeting. A television screen showing Alejandro blared throughout the room. He'd taken full advantage of Moreau's absence to move him and Heather into the public eye as leaders. Max had once again been villified, this time as the leader of his own resistance working to bring down everything Moreau had tried to build.

With a sigh, Evil One turned off the screen, and the only sound was of the low hum of the air conditioning unit. That was a nice and appreciated touch about now.

"So today's the day?" Max asked anxiously, wringing his hands nervously.

Sky nodded grimly. "Yup. They're gonna finally let Moreau wake up."

"I don't..." Max continued wringing his hands. "I don't know what I'll say when he wakes up."

"If you're feeling guilty, don't," Sky said simply. "I don't like either of you, and can't decide which one I like less. But you're gonna have to work together."

"I mean, we've been doing a pretty good job so far," Evil One said. "Without you guys in the mix. Sky and I have been pretty good working together. We've got a lot of former fighters from both the Resistance and Max's forces. I think it's possible."

"If they can tame their egos..." Sky muttered.

"My ego has been destroyed," Max said simply, and Sky cringed slightly.

"Sorry...force of habit. I guess everything you've been through _would _destroy your ego, huh. Is it weird that I'm wishing Moreau will be the same?"

"I think we're about to find out," Evil One said softly, pointing inside. The screen showed Moreau's heartbeat begin to increase as the sole two doctors leaned over him, steadying him.

Max continued to look terrified out of his wits as Evil One sat back and seemed to just be trying to observe. Sky seemed calm but he noticed that her fingers curled and her body visibly tensed.

Noah walked into the room, hands in his pockets as he looked around, nodding affirmatively. "We should let Moreau have some time to get readjusted. The process could take anywhere from half an hour to a few days. He's been under a long time and we can't expect him to-"

The sound of yelling from inside the room, and Moreau shoving people aside. The door opened and the revolutionary strode through, a panic and a somewhat deranged look in his eyes.

"I know you all pretty much hate me but that isn't important right now," he said, not looking at anyone in the room as he walked through, examining the walls around him. "We've gotta move. If I've been under for a week then that means Al will be coming for me," he said, panicking and nearly hyperventilating. "He can track where I am and that fucking doctor didn't even get the chip out of my head?"

"I already told you you're fine!" the doctor called from in the sick bay. "We dampened the signal, and the lead above us completely depleted it."

Moreau glanced around furtively before attempting to walk through. Noah barred his way. "Whoa buddy, just take it easy. It'll be fine. I haven't seen anyone else react to waking up like this. You're a pretty high strung dude, huh?"

Moreau sighed and started taking deeper breaths, running his hands through his hair. "Sorry, sorry, just...oddly emotional for some reason," he said, voice cracking slightly. He glanced around the room, from Max to Sky to Evil One. He sighed and shook his head before sitting down.

"Okay. I'm calmer now. I think I'm good." He leaned back. "If I end up doing anything like that again, I apologize."

"Let's go to the meeting room, get you up to speed," Noah said. It was silent in the room as they all sat there awkwardly. "Uh...someone else was supposed to respond to that."

"I'm sorry," Sky tapped her toe to the ground as she glanced furtively from Max to Moreau. "This is just...very uncomfortable for me."

"How do you think this is for me?" Moreau laughed slightly. "The bullet wound you gave me still hurts sometimes."

Sky put a hand to her stomach and grimaced. "You deserved it."

Moreau's face darkened. "Just trying to lighten the mood..." He folded his arms. "Guess I shouldn't have. Sorry."

"If you haven't noticed, everything's kind of gone to shit," Max said, a trace of his once-apparent haughtiness entering his voice. "I wouldn't be trying to crack jokes."

"Funny, coming from you," Moreau growled. "From all the laughing you did as a ruler, I suppose you found the countless deaths of billions to be pretty funny, huh?"

Max balled his fists. Evil One's eyes widened and he stood up. "Okay everyone, just...calm down. We can't afford to fight right now."

"Why not?" Max asked, rising to his feet as well. "He seems to want to. Oh, remember that time I showed actual emotion and regret, and you _bombed the square I was talking to?"_

"That's besides the point," Moreau grit his teeth as he rose to his feet, at least a full foot taller than his rival. Evil One attempted to get between them, only to be roughly shoved out of the way. Noah looked completely unimpressed while Sky continued to clutch at her stomach.

"Are you kidding?" Max asked. "You're not taking responsibility! Even AFTER all this?"

"Listen, guys, this is what Al and Heather _want," _Evil One began. "We shouldn't let them-"

"We shouldn't let them tear us apart?" Moreau interrupted sardonically. "That implies we were together in the first place. I've hated Max for years. Yes, I'm aware that it's hardly the most productive thing to do right now but I can't just get over it like that!"

"Why not?" Sky asked, speaking up for the first time. "I've been working with this guy-" She pointed a finger at Evil One, who waved in acknowledgement "-for two weeks now. And he was one of Max's closest enforcers. Moreau, with all due respect...if I can do it why can't you?"

"How much have you lost because of this buffoon, Sky?" Moreau asked, voice surprisingly soft.

"My sister, for one," Sky replied matter of factly. "But I'm sure you've broken families too. Sometimes..." She shot a glance to Noah, then to Evil One. "Sometimes you've just gotta let go. Be more impartial."

"See? She gets it." Max gestured to Sky angrily before turning back to Moreau. "You need to get over yourself!"

"I don't recall asking your opinion," Moreau literally looked down at him. "And I _was _considering what she was saying until you interrupted. Your nasally voice really makes me want to punch you."

"Okay, that's IT!" Noah slammed his hands to the wall, completely and totally furious. "THE NEXT PERSON WHO ARGUES IS GOING TO GET _LOCKED OUT OF THE COMPOUND, CLEAR?"_

"The question is if you can afford to do that," Moreau said, albeit in a calmer voice. "If you put me out there it could enable Alejandro to pick up our trail."

"I'll put _you_ back under, then," Noah got up in the revolutionary's face. "I understand you've been through shit but you just came out of stasis like ten minutes ago and you've already raised tensions so high I'm considering it might be easier to just SHOOT you."

"I'd like to see you try," Moreau said lowly.

"Please, just shoot him," Max groaned. "If he's going to be a little bitch it'll be worth it."

"We'd be helping Alejandro," Evil One pointed out. "His whole narrative hinges on Moreau being dead. If we could put out a transmission with both Max and Moreau at the helm, we could expose their lies to everyone."

"Which was going to be the PLAN," Noah yelled. "Tell you what? I'm just gonna isolate you. I don't even know why I thought this was a good idea. Open discourse only works for the mature, apparently."

"Well, we tried," Sky sighed, and Evil One shrugged in response.

"Weird how our bosses have a harder time with this than us," Evil One muttered.

Moreau sighed, clasping his hands to his head as he calmed down once more. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm in the wrong again. Per usual. Stupid me, believing I could change the world...just another fucking puppet. Just like you."

It was quiet for a few moments as Max looked guilty. Finally, he sighed and spoke up.

"Moreau..." Max sighed. "You came to me in that cell a few weeks back and I thought we could at least understand each other."

"Somewhat," Moreau spit out. "Maybe I'm just panicking right now from just getting out of stasis. I don't fucking know. Guess I just made everything worse, huh."

"You basically spilled your guts to me," Max said. "Maybe you just need some time."

"Probably," Moreau gulped, subconsciously touching his disfigurement on his face. "I...I'm not in the best shape right now."

"I lost my closest friend," Max said sadly. "I don't know who you've lost but I am so so sorry..."

"We were both just puppets..." Moreau shook his head, eyes staring blankly ahead in shock. "Everything we thought we'd done, was just for them." He turned to Sky. "I'm so so sorry for everything I've done. And I don't expect you to forgive me."

"Don't feel bad if I don't forgive you then," Sky said. "But I'm willing to work with you."

Max sighed. "Do you think you could work with us, then? It looks like we're all ready. Are you?"

Moreau gulped and nodded, looking like he was trying not to cry. "I...I think I am. I mean, the forces that rescued us both were a mix of your soldiers and mine. And if my troops are willing to work together with our former enemies..." He looked from Noah, to Sky, to Evil One. "I guess I should follow their example."

With that, Moreau extended his hand for Max to shake.

Max accepted. He was surprised at the bigger man's stronger grip, but not that surprised. They let go and Evil One smiled softly.

"Alright, are we good?" Noah asked. Moreau and Max shrugged at each other before nodding. "Good. Now all we have to do is get Jasmine out of Heather's reach."

"Is that my cue?" Shawn knocked on the door before coming in. "Yeah, I've got some news about that. I kinda overheard what you guys were talking about and thought it best to stay out of it." He tapped his forehead with a smirk. "Survival instincts, yanno. Don't want to get my head bit off."

"What's the news?" Noah asked anxiously.

Shawn scrunched his eyebrows as he put his hand to his chin. "Well..."

* * *

"Shit shit shit..."

Gunfire followed Jasmine as she ducked for cover, only a few soldiers left with her. Heather was supposed to have been an easy target with Max's execution drawing most of the attention. She hadn't expected for them to be completely ready for her forces, or for them to figure out how to trail her out of Paris. Shawn and Noah had reassured her that help was coming but as they were still recovering from their own losses, it was hard pressed. Heather's soldiers (no drones, she preferred not to rely on them) had been chasing them across the desolate countryside for a week now, picking them off a few at a time as they continued fleeing, hoping for reinforcements that would never come.

The fact that they were still alive meant that Heather wanted at least some of them as prisoners. Likely the majority of her and Alejandro's forces were focused on quelling riots that had started around the world after Max's botched execution. Granted, the victims were usually suspected Max sympathizers but it would fall to them to maintain order. Jasmine honestly did not understand why anyone would _want _to rule the world. It seemed like a raw deal.

Jasmine and her remaining ten or so men took shelter in an old abandoned department store. They'd kept Heather's forces busy mostly through subterfuge, splitting up, and constantly being on the move. There wasn't much time for rest.

_"Jasmine?" _Shawn's voice came through her radio. _"We've got some more soldiers headed your way. Just gotta hold out a little while longer, okay?"_

"Thank you," Jasmine gasped. "We're out of food and we're running low on ammo, and there's only so much we can scavenge."

_"Excellent. We picked up a transmission from them, by the way. They think they've won. Heather's coming to oversee your defeat."_

"I thought she wasn't a combatant," Jasmine noted. "What the hell does she think she's doing?"

_"If you were to negotiate surrender with her she'd prefer to be there in the flesh. Or maybe she'll just project herself there. Either way we've got a golden opportunity. We've still got some drones left over from Scarlett, after all..."_

"If she's arrogant enough to come in person we might actually have a chance to pull this off," Jasmine said in wonder. "Finally we'll get some payoff..."

_"Don't get cocky. Be safe, and see you soon. Love ya."_

"You too," Jasmine smiled, and shut off the radio. She turned to her remaining men. "Alright, we're going to be surrendering. Shawn's troops know where we are. Heather might be coming herself to negotiate. Even if she isn't here herself Shawn has a plan."

The soldiers nodded and murmured their agreement, and Jasmine smirked. "Alright, let's get this started."

Jasmine pulled out a flare gun, and fired a white flare into the sky. The gunfire from outside stopped. Jasmine slowly rose her hands in the air and walked outside the building, her remaining troops following her lead. Acutely aware of all the guns pointed at her head, Jasmine called out to them.

"We give up!" she called. One of the enemy soldiers pressed a button and suddenly a screeching noise filled Jasmine and the other soldiers' ears.

_"I see you've decided to listen to reason," _Heather said smugly, her voice the only thing they could hear. Jasmine grimaced as the enemy soldiers patted her down and handcuffed her and the rest of her men. Guess they weren't _that _lucky. _"We have some questions for you."_

"Shouldn't you take us in first?" Jasmine asked. "It's a little awkward like this."

_"Fair enough. But I know you and Shawn are housing both Max and Moreau, and I want to know where they are NOW. So I'll give you one chance. Every time you don't tell me when I ask, one of your men gets shot."_

"Right now?" Jasmine asked. "Well if you're certain. I guess you ARE in a bit of a hurry."

_"Ten seconds to talk." _The soldier next to Jasmine blanched as the enemy's pistol pressed into his temple. _"Then he dies."_

Jasmine bit her lip, hesitating. "Tell you what...I'm tired and hungry, can we postpone this? I don't want-"

The shot was fired and blood sprayed as the soldier dropped to the ground. Jasmine looked on in horror before shaking her head sadly. "You didn't have to do that..."

_"You're right," _Heather said. _"I didn't."_

"You pathetic coward," Jasmine sneered. "You can't even be here yourself, can you. You have to rely on other people to pull the trigger."

_"Talk more and I kill another one," _Heather said, although there was a noticeable shift to her voice. Jasmine could tell that she was trying too hard to remain intimidating. The slight voice crack gave her away.

Jasmine looked up to see Shawn's reinforcements materialize in midair. "I think we're good here."

The helicopter's gun fired, and with remarkable precision Heather's soldiers began hitting the ground.

Quickly, Jasmine kicked the soldier next to her and strangled him with her handcuffs, before taking the key and unlocking it. The helicopter fired minimally, its accurate aim enhanced by state of the art technology. Her remaining soldiers fought back and quickly Heather's forces were either subdued or killed.

_"WHAT-" _Heather's voice cut out from the radio, and Jasmine smirked in satisfaction as the helicopter touched down next to them.

Jasmine helped her remaining soldiers enter the craft, smirking to herself. "Shawn? Thank you."

_"No problem."_

* * *

"No no no no no..."

Heather ran around her frankly luxurious penthouse apartment, trying to regain her feed. "This can't be happening...we ALMOST had them! What the hell..."

She continued pacing, glancing nervously out the window. She generally preferred to direct troops from the safety of her own penthouse as opposed to a military facility. Top of the line defense would ensure that any enemy soldiers or planes would be shot down before even getting near her. She was safe, but Alejandro wouldn't be happy with her. No, she had to do this. She had to do it right.

"Send more troops to their location!" she yelled, voice cracking. She continued to pace the span of the room. "We can't afford to lose them!"

_"Sir, they're escaping! We can't track them!"_

"Find a way!" Heather yelled. "We CAN'T lose them! If none of you at least get a scrap of information-"

Suddenly, she raised a hand to her eyes as something rose up in front of her window, light streaming in and blinding her. The sound of gunfire around her and glass shattering, and she screamed, taking cover and curling up, taking up as little space as possible. As she dared look up, she saw what appeared to be several of her own drones entering the room, guns in hand. She screamed in terror, tripping backwards and falling on her ass as the drones turned towards her, guns aimed at her.

One of the drones's screens turned on, revealing a smirking Shawn. _"You missed a spot check. Guess you and your boyfriend assumed that we used up all our drones last week, huh?"_

Trembling, Heather raised her hands in surrender. Shawn shook his head, clearly enjoying himself. _"You're coming with us now. It's about time you people got some karma."_

"I-It won't work," she protested weakly. "Alejandro will find you and he will _burn _you."

She let out a sound almost similar to a squeak as the drone moved forward.

Shawn laughed as the helicopter dropped down outside the window, ready to take her in.

_"Oh, believe me. We're planning on it. The game's changing, Heather. And it's about FUCKING TIME that it changes in OUR favor. So have fun, and welcome aboard!"_

* * *

**Can you believe that we're almost 100,000 words into this story? It's unbelievable, frankly. Anyways it's looking like it's gonna be a ten chapter act, sorry to disappoint any of ya who might be expecting more. It's a case of either having too much happen in a shorter time or not enough happen in a longer, and in this case it'll serve the story better to have it be shorter. That being said, we're STILL only halfway through the act and the next five chapters are gonna be fun as hell.**

**So enjoy, and be sure to leave a review! Have a good day.**


	26. Chapter 26: Regret

**We're entering the final stretch and I am so so happy right now. And honestly grinning ear to ear. Seriously, I'm gonna have a blast. Oh, and maybe you'll have fun too. XD Enjoy!**

* * *

This had not been a part of the plan.

Alejandro paced behind his throne, the window overlooking the city behind him, as he seethed and worried to no end. This had not been a part of the plan at _all. _The beauty of the plan was that it could easily be adjusted to include new variables. It was very hard for something to NOT benefit them, even when they received minor setbacks as a result. He prided himself on his ability to adjust events to their favor.

There was no way he could turn this to his favor now. And he was ready for blood.

"It's been sixteen hours, WHERE ARE THEY?" He stamped his foot on the ground, turning to Matheson, who looked completely unperturbed by his employer's tantrum.

"Sir, the AI has been broken," Matheson replied. "We know where the nuclear weapons are-"

"THAT ISN'T IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW," Alejandro growled, glaring at his mercenary. "What would you have me do, huh? Bomb Heather into oblivion?"

"That's not what I meant, sir," Matheson began, but Alejandro sighed deeply and threw his hands up.

"Sixteen hours," he hissed, running his hands through his hair as he began pacing again. "She wouldn't talk, would she? Th-they wouldn't harm her...she's too important a bargaining chip...if they hurt her..." His voice quavered and he ran his hands down his face, and was surprised to find that they were shaking.

"If they hurt her I'm going to kill them all."

"That was the plan anyway," Matheson commented dryly.

_"SHUT IT!" _Alejandro raised his gun to Matheson, whose apathetic stare broke slightly, eyes widening. "I will NOT tolerate disobedience, CLEAR?" Alejandro's voice cracked slightly at this. Taking a deep breath, the mastermind calmed down, putting his gun back to his side. "My apologies," he murmured. "I was out of line."

Matheson wisely remained quiet at this.

The door opened, and Marcus entered anxiously. "Sir. We've found them."

"Oh thank god," Alejandro sighed in relief, walking over to him and laughing. "I knew I could count on you, Marcus. Where are they?"

Marcus looked incredibly uncomfortable and exchanged a glance with Matheson, who shook his head slightly. Marcus gulped. "We uncovered the architectural plans for Shawn's bunker from way back when. I have the coordinates here. It's in Canada."

"Of course," Alejandro sighed. "Of course of course. Thank you. Thank you very much."

"No problem sir," Marcus said hesitantly.

Alejandro spun on his heel, pointing roughly at Matheson. "You will be organizing the assault! Bomb them out of their rathole, then _get Heather back. CLEAR?"_

"Yes sir," the mercenary replied dully, and walked out of the room.

Alejandro smiled genuinely to Marcus. "Thank you for the help. I'm glad I can count on you, soldier."

Marcus's stomach turned at this but didn't let it show. "You're welcome, sir."

Marcus left the room, and Alejandro took another deep breath. Things would be fine, right? All this time they'd never had any real opposition.

_But we never wanted this... _

Alejandro growled, stamping his foot into the ground. He raised his watch and spoke into it, his voice low and dangerous. "MIC."

_"Yes, sir," _the AI replied in a dead voice.

"How goes the repairs on Max's death ray?"

_"They are...nearly complete. Sir."_

Alejandro allowed himself a smirk. "Excellent. I'll be needing it soon. Have it at the ready."

_"Yes sir."_

Feeling slightly calmer now, Alejandro sat down in his throne, taking deep breaths.

Everything would be okay.

They'd get her back.

* * *

They were on a time limit now.

Well, they had been before. Being hunted by two genocidal overlords tended to make people particularly cautious. But now that Heather was sitting in a makeshift cell in their bunker, they knew it was only a matter of time before Alejandro found them. Heather had been carrying no less than three tracking devices. One in her pocket, one in her watch, and one in her neck. All had been destroyed except the one in her neck, which was similar to the chip in Moreau's head minus the capability to explode. It couldn't be removed. However, unlike Moreau's the doctors had been successful in deactivating it completely. Different design, apparently.

Sky, Evil One, Max, Noah, and Moreau sat outside the room they were using as a jail cell-namely, a quarantine that Shawn had designed in case he or Jasmine got bit by a zombie. Jasmine was directing things upstairs. They had to be on their guard at all times.

Shawn paced around inside Heather's cell, scowling. Heather appeared fairly calm, with her hands folded and sitting neatly while handcuffed to the table. She'd been trained for this situation and it showed. After the initial shock had worn off she'd gone into what almost appeared to be a trance, speaking only when absolutely necessary.

"I don't think you understand just how fucked you guys are," Shawn said, gazing directly into her eyes. "I've been surviving a long time. We ALL have. You...you don't even know how to fight. If you have any sense you'll tell us what we need to know"

"Excuse me?" Heather sneered. "You're hiding out in a small, dingy bunker. Alejandro _will _be coming for me. You don't have the guts to torture me. And I know how to resist interrogation. I don't see how I'm in any trouble here."

"You talk a big game," Shawn replied. "What do you have that makes you so confident?"

"We hold all the cards," Heather replied, seemingly confident. "Even if you deactivated my tracking chip, Alejandro is smart enough to find you. He'll rescue me and I'll take pleasure in helping him kill you all.

Shawn sighed and shook his head. "You're just as arrogant as I remember watching you..." He leaned in closely.

"But people don't turn from reality TV competitors to genocidal maniacs overnight. Could you talk to us about that?"

Heather visibly tensed at this, sitting straight-backed in her chair. "I have nothing to say to you."

Shawn glared at her. "You WILL talk. I guarantee it. How did you change? Why?"

Heather cracked her neck, leaning forward with a death glare on her face. "I have _nothing _to say to you. I'm not going to be here for long. You know it. I know it. So _fuck off."_

Shawn stood there for a few minutes, seriously considering shooting her right now. Arrogance always had pissed him off. He scowled. "Fine. I'll be back later."

He exit the room, rejoining the others out of Heather's sight.

"I assume torturing her's out of the question," Shawn sighed, sitting down.

"Of course!" Evil One said. "That's disgusting."

"I hate to be the bad guy here-" Moreau began.

"Sure you do," Sky muttered under her breath.

"-but she's right. Alejandro _will _be coming for us and he will be _pissed. _I think that if necessary, we _might _need to consider torture."

"No," Max said firmly. "I did my fair share of that as a ruler and I am NOT putting people through that again."

"Not even one of the people responsible for EVERYTHING that's happened?" Moreau retorted, gesturing through the one-way mirror to Heather. "Her actions have killed billions!"

"I think we're all going to say no, Moreau," Noah said firmly.

Moreau threw his hands up, sitting back. "Okay. Then what do you recommend?"

Noah rose to his feet. "We keep trying to get through to her. Eventually we'll get her to talk."

"What is it that we're looking for, exactly?" Evil One asked.

"I'm kinda curious as to her psyche," Shawn said. "As soon as I asked why she changed from just a manipulative high school bitch to a criminal mastermind she stopped talking."

"Okay," Noah said. "So who's our resident expert on psychology?"

It was quiet for a few moments, and slowly everyone's eyes turned to Moreau. The former leader looked around, somewhat confused. "What?"

"Can you talk to her?" Max asked. "I think you're the only one who can get her to break down. You certainly fucked me up."

"In all the time that I worked with Heather I never managed to shake her emotionally," Moreau said. "I prided myself on knowing all of my soldiers and their psyches. But Heather was different. I only worked _with _her, she didn't work for ME. I never really got a full understanding of her."

"Well, now's your chance," Sky said, gazing calmly at him. "Go on and do something right for a change."

Moreau let out a barking laugh. "I thought you hated me, Sky."

"I do."

Moreau rose to his feet. "For good reason. But now you all want me to break down a person psychologically for your own benefit."

"For the benefit of _everyone," _Shawn emphasized.

"I don't think anyone here actually likes you that much," Evil One said bluntly. "But maybe this would help?"

Moreau turned to the window, looking in at Heather, who was picking at her nails. "Alright. I'll do it."

"Good," Max said. "Our first act in an alliance, then!"

Moreau took a deep breath, dusting himself off. He then entered the room.

"Sky, do you actually think he can do it?" Evil One asked.

Sky nodded, folding her arms. "He's a manipulative asshole. But he's a competent one. He'll be fine."

Heather smirked upon seeing Moreau enter again. "Hi, Darren."

"Heather," Moreau said faux-politely, sitting down across from her. "So, you have a lot of confidence in Alejandro, huh?"

"I'm not an idiot, Darren," Heather sneered. "I know why they sent you in. I'm not going to give you any openings."

Moreau stared dully ahead at her. "So you immediately raise your shields rather than risk someone getting through to you, huh? Can I ask you one question?"

"No."

"That was rhetorical." Moreau leaned forward gleefully. "Was it fun?"

"What?" Heather asked, taken by surprise.

Outside, the five watched in slight confusion and anticipation. "What's he doing?" Evil One asked Sky, who shushed him.

"Just watch."

Moreau laughed slightly. "You heard me. Did you enjoy it? The feeling of being a god. Of manipulating _millions _of people to do whatever you want them to? You must have planned this out for a long time." He put on a mocking face. "So obviously, the fact that you've gone along with whatever your boyfriend has been telling you for over a decade means one of two things. Either that you've been having fun murdering people in cold blood, or that he does and you've just been dragged along."

"I..." Heather stuttered, composure slightly breaking, "I don't..."

"Through words, orders, and actions, us schemers manipulate everyone around us," Moreau said gleefully, reveling in her confusion. "Yet, interestingly enough, you actually don't appear to be all that smart! You ordered your troops to attack from a luxury penthouse apartment, not even _bothering_ with armor. In a decade of scheming and putting your life at risk you have failed to take even a _single_ self-defense class. And, most glaringly, from what I understand _you _were the one who decided to keep Scarlett alive, which has ended up being a thorn in the side for EVERYONE!"

"You shut your mouth-" Heather retorted, only to be interrupted by Moreau once more.

"You're no different than you were back then," he said, voice low and intimidating. "You're still the same immature girl, out of your depth. Your reactions to all this tell me all I need to know. You don't want to be here. But while I'm sure you love Alejandro with all your heart " He leaned back in his seat, making his voice quiet once more. "So tell me one thing. How did you get caught up in all this?"

Heather looked completely shaken, opening her mouth in an attempted retort and failing. Moreau didn't let up his serene gaze, still making it perfectly clear he was pissed the fuck off.

"Holy shit," Evil One said quietly, looking impressed.

"Yup," Sky said casually.

"It's even worse when you're on the receiving end of it," Max commented.

Moreau continued staring calmly as Heather struggled to form words. Finally, she put together a coherent sentence, although her words were carefully controlled.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said dangerously, voice low and quiet.

"Try me," Moreau said coldly.

Heather inhaled and exhaled deeply, her body rattling as she did so. "Would you believe me if I told you it started as a dare?"

"What?" Moreau looked confused, and Heather laughed bitterly at this.

"Yeah," she attempted a sneer. "I knew you wouldn't believe me."

"No, I'm just confused," Moreau said. "Elaborate."

"What the hell is going on?" Noah muttered, while Evil One wrote down everything he could hear with an intense fervor.

Heather laughed again, grinning falsely. "One night over a decade ago we got drunk. We'd gotten rid of Total Drama forever and ended up playing a game of Truth or Dare." She snorted at this. "We chose dare. And our dare was to, as a joke, help Max take over the world."

Max's jaw dropped, and the people waiting outside all looked at each other in astonishment.

Moreau seemed to be trying to sort it out in his head. "So...all of this..." he said, clearly furious. "All the death and destruction...was because of a _dare? AS A JOKE?"_

"It wasn't our intent at first!" Heather protested, anger rising in her voice, as well as a sort of catharsis. It was easy to get the impression that she'd been waiting to tell someone about this for a long time. "All we wanted was to string him along for shits and giggles for a while. But..." She started shaking again, tears welling up in her eyes. "It went too far. Suddenly he was taking over land everywhere and we were helping him. We thought he'd eventually get stopped. But then..."

Max had tears welling up in his eyes as the cruel reality of his predicament sunk in. Even the supposed masterminds of his operation had never thought of him as serious. His mind went back to a conversation he'd had with Izzy.

_I don't like being played. I'm not as oblivious as I was. I dunno WHY someone would want to have me be the leader for as long as I was. I mean, I appreciated it, but what's the motive?_

_Maybe it was a joke._

_They'd have to have a really fucked up sense of humor._

"But then what?" Moreau asked.

"Alejandro originally rescued Dave out of the goodness of his heart," Heather affirmed, as if wanting to make sure they knew she was sincere. "We hadn't come up with our plan yet, and he felt pity. But Dave...latched onto that and brought it to unhealthy levels. A professional probably could have diagnosed him with _something. _But during the occupation, he took it completely seriously. And, in an attempt to please Alejandro, he put in an order to detonate a nuclear reactor."

"You're kidding," Moreau said in stunned disbelief.

"It sounds crazy!" Heather laughed again, almost in hysterics. "It sounds absolutely fucking nuts! After that point it was too late to turn back. We fully devoted ourselves to the cause because if we turned back we'd be in jail for life at the bare _minimum_. I think Alejandro even convinced himself he _wants _this but he doesn't! NEITHER of us did!"

Quickly, Heather drew in her breath, speaking more quietly now. "But that doesn't matter anymore. We're here now, and there's not a damn thing any of us can do about that."

Silence took hold of both rooms as the reality of the situation set in.

Then, the walls shook around them as something exploded from above.

Heather sat back smugly as the room shook around them, and the alarms began blaring. "And now he's coming for me. Just like I said."

Moreau curled his fists and his stomach turned as he stormed around to go out the door, rejoining the others who were now on their feet.

"We need to get upstairs," Noah said, moving briskly towards the stairs. As the six of them moved up, they found Jasmine yelling to the remaining men they had in the base.

"What's going on on the surface?" Shawn asked anxiously.

"Alejandro's bombing the surface!" Jasmine yelled.

"Wouldn't that risk hurting Heather?" Sky asked.

"It's a gambit," Noah said calmly. "He's trying to lure us out by scaring us into acting irrationally. We have to remain in the base, at least until he drops the charade and sends troops down to kill us."

"He's got us trapped in here then," Max said, getting a gun at the ready. "Shouldn't we get out of here before he sends down troops?"

Another explosion and everyone stumbled around a bit. Max steadied himself with Evil One.

"How many ships does he have up there, and in what radius?" Moreau asked.

Jasmine glanced at the computer screen, still barking orders as soldiers ran around performing various tasks. "Three bombers, and it looks like there are two dropships on their way. Could hold up to thirty men in each."

"We can't stay here," Evil One gulped. "Can we use the secret exit to get out of here?"

"We've got three aircrafts down there," Noah said. "It'd be hard but we might be able to use them to get everyone out of here. It'd be a tight fit though, very uncomfortable."

Another explosion and the lights flickered before going out. In its place came emergency red lighting. "And Heather?" Shawn asked.

"We'll take her along," Noah replied. "She's the only leverage we've got, and he won't dare kill us as long as we have her."

Jasmine took the PA, relaying a message throughout the entire bunker.

_"All troops report to the secret exit and docking bay, we are going to try to escape. Alejandro is sending troops down to kill us and take Heather back and we can NOT give them that chance."_

Evil One quickly readied his body armor and gun, Sky and Shawn at his side. The evacuation was in full effect. Troops ran down the corridor, some in an orderly fashion, some screaming like chickens with their heads cut off. The group of six walked down the passageway towards their three airships. Shawn quickly retrieved Heather, holding her at gunpoint and moving her along.

The bombings had stopped. They could hear the sound of troops from above, trying to break through the hatch. Several of Shawn's troops had opted to stay back and hold them off to give them a bit more time.

Finally, they reached the aircrafts and began directing troops inside.

"This is crazy," Evil One shook his head while directing troops inside, Sky and Jasmine near him.

Moreau observed calmly as Shawn and Heather entered one of the crafts.

A realization hit him and his stomach dropped. "Wait."

"What?" Noah asked.

Moreau massaged his scar where the chip had been implanted. "If I go above the surface, the signal will be strong enough for Alejandro to track, or detonate. I'd be jeopardizing the entire mission."

"Well shit," Noah said, realizing the problem here as well.

"What's going on, are we going or not?" Sky asked impatiently. They were almost ready to go.

"Moreau's chip," Noah explained, looking genuinely concerned for him. "It's still in there and will rearm when there's not a shitload of lead and metal between him and the signal." He turned back to Moreau. "If you could get inside and get to a safe house nearby we could probably-"

"You know as well as I do that Alejandro will take the first possible opportunity to kill me," Moreau said bitterly. "For his narrative to work I need to be dead. He won't give me a chance to get out alive."

"Wait, what are you suggesting?" Sky asked cautiously.

Moreau closed his eyes, struggling inside. "I could stay behind. Either I can negotiate my survival with Alejandro or I can die with honor. Either way, really."

"What?" Max asked, having heard this. "But...we need you! We can't make people realize Alejandro is the bad guy unless you're alive!"

"I'm not an idiot, Max," Moreau snapped, although his face showed more fear than anger. The sound of an explosion interrupted them. "I know that. Which is why I'd like to do this. I've lied and manipulated my whole life. I've wanted to be the hero but I guess I've always been too willing to accept collateral damage," he laughed shortly. "While I genuinely want peace I wanted to be the one to achieve it. My name in the history books. But now..." He choked up a bit. "Now I think it's increasingly clear to me that I was never meant to bring about that change. But maybe one of you could.

Hands shaking, he took a recording device out of his pocket and handed it to Evil One. "I'm counting on you to record this. I know that's your...thing. Goal, or coping mechanism depending on your point of view."

Another explosion. Evil One looked down in shock, and at Moreau's sincere eyes. He accepted. "Okay."

Moreau put his hands to his mouth, calming himself down. When he dropped his hands his face was set in a grin. "Good." He turned to everyone around him. "I regret that we couldn't have had more time together as allies. Sky, Max, I hope you understand."

"Are you sure about this?" Max asked as Sky stood there, looking conflicted.

Moreau nodded determinedly. "I'm a survivor. And if Scarlett can convince those assholes to have kept her alive for so long, so can I." He allowed himself a smile. "I'll see you all again soon, one way or another." Calmly, he straightened his tie and started walking.

"Wait, Moreau!" Sky called out. Moreau turned as he looked at her.

"Get going, Sky," he said. "You have no business looking out for my well-being."

Sky clenched her fists. "I just want you to know that at one time I thought you were the best person alive. Now I know you're a piece of shit, but...good luck."

"Agreed," Evil One said, still staring at the recording device in his hand.

Moreau looked at them sadly. "I'm sorry about all this," he said, his voice catching in his throat slightly.

Max simply stared at his former nemesis before giving a silent salute. Moreau noticed this and quickly returned it.

Moreau raised his gun and continued walking, one final wave of his hand as a salute to them.

He rounded the corner and he was gone.

* * *

Matheson had never given a shit about any of this.

He was a mercenary. A mean, tatooed crook. Genocide to him was simply one hell of a paycheck. But even he was starting to get a little weirded out by everything that was going on. Part of him wanted to get the hell out of there before he got disentegrated or something.

And of course, part of him simply loved killing people. This part won out.

The hatch blew open, finally. The mercenary didn't know what the hell that zombie freak had made it out of to make it so durable but it'd pissed him off.

"Move in," he growled, and became the first to head down the ladder, other men following. Gunfire rang out and he quickly drew his own gun, firing at the source. Quickly, he dropped to the ground and began firing. At least some of their men had chosen to stay and fight. Honorable, but foolhardy. Quickly, the mercenary headshotted both that were guarding the hatch. His men filed into formation behind him after they completed their descents.

"Our main objectives are to find Heather and kill Moreau," Matheson commanded as they moved down the hall. "Be warned not to shoot Moreau in the head. It would activate the bomb in his head."

"Can't we activate it now and save the trouble?" one of his men asked.

"We don't know where he is in relation to Heather," Matheson explained, as if the soldier were an idiot. "We don't want to explain to the boss why we had to scrape his girlfriend's guts off the floor, now do we?"

"...fair enough."

Gunfire from the enemy downed two of Matheson's men and quickly they returned fire, making short work of them. Matheson walked up to what appeared to be the controls for the entire facility.

Sitting in the chair was Moreau, who waved promptly. "I wouldn't recommend shooting me," he said. Matheson sneered and raised his gun at him.

"Spread out," he ordered his men. "They have to be here somewhere." His men obeyed the command, moving through the winding corridors in an attempt to locate Heather. Several other soldiers remained with him, pointing their gun at Moreau.

A beeping on Matheson's wrist watch and he took the call, listening intently. He nodded. He turned to Moreau. "You're lucky. Alejandro wants to talk to you."

"Who am I to deny him?" Moreau asked casually. "Ring him up?"

Matheson pressed a button and what appeared to be a holographic projection of Alejandro materialized, glitching slightly with the bad reception.

"Where. Is. She." Alejandro's voice remained low and deadly.

"Is this a new toy?" Moreau asked, gesturing to the hologram. "It's gaudy and too Star Wars. I don't like it."

"DON'T PLAY GAMES WITH ME!" Alejandro thundered. From behind him, Matheson readied his gun to fire. "I KNOW you have her, and I KNOW that she has to be here somewhere!"

"That's where you're wrong," Moreau said calmly. "They've already gone."

"Impossible."

"You found the old blueprints, right?" Moreau laughed. "I suppose you don't know then that Shawn deliberately left a secret passageway about half a mile long off the blueprints."

Matheson's eyes widened and he turned away to talk into his headset, barking orders for his men to find a secret corridor.

"Clever," Alejandro sneered. "Very clever. You think you're quite something, huh?"

"Not really," Moreau said simply. "You used me as a puppet. Nothing I ever did was for me. I suppose I'm changing that. Why make me into a martyr?"

"Puppet or not, you were charismatic enough that the people would follow you," Alejandro said. "But we're getting off track. _Where is she?"_

"Gone," Moreau said simply. "We took her out of here."

"And you stayed because I'd just blow you up if you got to the surface," Alejandro sighed, shaking his head. "Delightful, everyone." Matheson ceased talking to his men and returned to keeping his gun pointed at her.

"I do have another question for you," Moreau said calmly.

"Oh?" Alejandro asked. "Is it if I can spare your life?"

"The thought did cross my mind," Moreau said. "But I figured that after your mistake in keeping Scarlett alive, you'd have learned from it."

"You're not wrong," Alejandro said. "There's no way you're leaving this room alive. But manipulator to manipulator I suppose I'd like to hear your question."

Moreau kept his face straight, but the thought of what Alejandro might say amused him. "Why do any of this in the first place? What was the point?"

"The point?" Alejandro looked delighted. "The point is that I can." He paced around the room holographically, glitching out here and there but mostly clear. "I've always been leagues ahead of everyone else in every field I can think of. I was always too good for everyone else. This entire thing," he gestured up with his arms. "was done in such a roundabout way because I wanted to prove that I could." He grinned evilly. "Because I'm _better _than everyone else, because WE'RE better!" He moved up so that he appeared to be right in front of Moreau. "And if we are so clearly superior to everyone else in this world, then it is our _duty _to prove it."

He laughed maniacally. "And THAT, my friend, is why I'm doing this! Not because of money, not because of power, but _because I can._ No other reason."

What Alejandro didn't seem to expect was Moreau to burst out laughing, clutching his stomach as he bust his gut laughing.

"What. What are you..." Alejandro seemed confused, before the anger took over. "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?"

Moreau took a deep breath, calming himself. "You _idiot. _Heather already told me about the dare."

Alejandro's smug facial features dropped as Moreau started laughing again. "She...told you?" He balled his fists. "Well, no matter. Then you know what happened. So what?"

"I find it hilarious," Moreau said calmly. "You go off on this spiel about how you're better than everyone when really you're just as clueless as the rest of us."

"In the end, I accepted the role given to me," Alejandro replied. "So I figured that I should at least have a little fun with it." He sighed. "Plus, it's too late to turn back now."

"You're right about that," Moreau said. "I guess we're all out of our depth."

Alejandro folded his arms. "You're forgetting that even though, yes, I didn't plan for it to go this far, I did so anyway. I still manipulated all of you without effort."

"And Heather, right?"

Alejandro nodded. "Yes...and her."

Moreau smirked. "She's still not here. You know, for all your talk of villainy, or how you didn't choose this...you could have saved her. You could have told her to leave when you had the chance. You could drag yourself down all you want, but I'd at least think you'd have the decency to leave her out of it. She's a wreck."

"Watch your tone-" Alejandro growled, before being interrupted.

"And for all your manipulation, your careful planning," Moreau said confidently. "In the end where has it gotten you? A world in chaos. Your girlfriend captured. Your life in peril and for what? A mistake? It's pathetic. _You're_ pathetic. And I can't wait for them to kill you. But not before you get to watch everything you've built_ crumble to the ground."_

Alejandro remained quiet as he seemed to process Moreau's final breaking speech. Finally, he spoke.

"Kill him," he spit out with murderous intent. As Matheson and his men raised their guns, Moreau moved like a blur, and suddenly the revolutionary had a gun pointed against his own temple.

"Wait, don't shoot!" Alejandro yelled as panic set in as he realized what Moreau would do if they fired. Matheson punched one of his men in the face who was about to fire, and Moreau laughed.

"Yeah, _now_ you squirm."

"What the hell are you doing?" Alejandro yelled, panicked.

Moreau smiled, the gun still pressed into his head. "There's a special place in hell for monsters like us, Al. So I guess I'll see you on the other side."

"Wait, don't!" Matheson yelled, terrified for his life.

With one final smirk, Moreau pulled the trigger.

The explosion swept through the bunker, and blew it all to hell.

* * *

Noah piloted the airship currently holding about thirty men including Max, Evil One, Sky, Shawn, Jasmine, and Heather. It was cramped as hell but it would have to work. Quickly he lifted off, the ground above him opening as the other two ships took off as well. As they took to the air, Evil One had earbuds in as he was examining the recording device, while squished next to Sky and Shawn (who didn't smell the greatest).

Gunfire as one of the remaining bombers fired at them and with relative ease Noah took them down. "We're headed to a safe house near New York! We don't have much time, we're going to have to improvise a final assault."

"What about Moreau?" Sky shouted.

"I don't know and at the moment I don't care," Noah yelled. "We need to think fast if we're going to survive this!"

Suddenly, a rumbling from the ground and Sky looked down to see that the ground was breaking apart beneath them where the bunker had been. The explosion traveled the length of the corridor and burst into the air, the sound violently piercing their eardrums.

Sky looked down in shock and turned to Evil One, who took the earbuds out. He nodded solemnly. "He's dead."

The airship went quiet as Noah set it to autopilot as they got out of the range of Alejandro's remaining forces. He moved back to talk with the others, putting his hands up on a railing to steady himself.

Evil One raised the recording device. "I...got to listen to it. The proof we need that Alejandro was lying about everything is right here. All we need is Max to confirm it."

Noah nodded. "We don't have very much time. We're going to need to come up with a plan, and fast. We won't be able to hide from them for long."

"We're all in," Sky said, looking around at everyone, who nodded in agreement. "It's about time we made them pay."

Determination set in to all those involved and Noah resumed the wheel.

The final battle was incoming.

For better or worse, soon everything would end.

* * *

The ETOD was an ugly building, instantly recognizable in the New York landscape. It was widely reviled and it had been designed this way. It was the symbol of everything wrong with the world, and it was only still standing out of practicality.

Naturally, this conspicuousness made it an easy target, especially to people perfectly willing to kill anyone who got in their way.

"How's the eye?" Dave asked, as Scarlett continued to glance around, testing out her new electronic appendage.

"Fascinating," she replied. "She really didn't cut any corners."

"We should have killed her afterwards," Dave muttered. "She could have ruined everything."

"She was smart enough to turn tail and run immediately after finishing the surgery," Scarlett said. "I respect that."

"Whatever," Dave threw up his hands. "I think we're almost there."

"And when we get what we came for, we get out," Scarlett said. "I overheard some chatter and I have a feeling things are going to get very dicey around here."

Dave nodded. "Yeah. That's the plan." He grinned. "And maybe we'll have a little fun along the way."

The two psychopaths rounded the corner, and were greeted with the massive evil-looking structure before them. The ETOD would not be easy for most people to infiltrate. But as Dave had worked in the building for years it would be a breeze.

Everything was falling into place.

And once they had their way, the world was going to burn.

* * *

**This has been the longest chapter of the fic, and one of my favorites to write. Moreau is one of my all-time favorite characters to write, but his time has come and gone. He was one of the few OCs I created for this fic and often times I actually forgot this! At some point I stopped viewing the characters in terms of canon characters and OCs and they became just...characters. I have a lot of thoughts about Moreau and if you ever want a detailed account of his motivations or backstory, just feel free to ask.**

**Until then, R.I.P. Moreau, one of the most morally ambiguous characters of this fic. You will be missed.**


	27. Chapter 27: March

**We're in the home stretch everyone, can ya believe it? It's gonna be great.**

* * *

The aircrafts set down near the abandoned prison that Sky and Evil One had led an assault on some time earlier. After their attack on it, enough prisoners had escaped that it had no longer been necessary for it to be in use. Alejandro's forces had shut it down and locked it up, ironically making it a good candidate for a temporary base. Granted, he hadn't been completely stupid. He HAD left some security measures but Noah easily blasted them down before landing.

All three ships sat down on the ground, and soldiers filed off of each of them. Noah was the first off the most important craft, followed closely by Max, Shawn, Jasmine, Evil One, and Sky, who was holding Heather at gunpoint. Within a few minutes Noah had found the control room, using it to pull up schematics and the like. Heather was unceremoniously dropped off in one of the vacant cells, handcuffed, worn out, and very much alone.

"We don't have much time," he said, panicked. "Alejandro will find us again soon, and Moreau only bought us a little bit of time. We're gonna have to come up with a plan quickly if we're gonna make it out of here."

"I think I can help," Max said, a determined look in his eye. "I know Goth-New York like the back of my hand. The ETOD as well. I can help."

Noah nodded. "A few weeks ago I'd have disregarded anything you'd have to say but now we really have no choice. Your thoughts?"

"Moreau wouldn't want us to disagree on everything when there's so little time left," Sky said. "I'm fine with it." Evil One nodded in agreement.

Noah clasped his hands together. "Okay. Evil One, can you upload Moreau's recording elsewhere?"

Evil One grinned. "You bet I can. But in order to get everyone to see it we're gonna need a way to transmit it."

"Moreau sent me to one of Max's propaganda stations in the city a few months back," Sky said. "If we can get there and transmit it we'll be golden."

"We'll also need proof that I'm not the enemy either," Max said. "Just Moreau's evidence won't be enough. Too much bias. I'll need to confront Alejandro too."

"The hell are you suggesting?" Noah asked. "That we invade the ETOD? Again?"

"That's what it seems," Max sighed.

"I'll lead a team with you," Shawn said. "No way in hell you should have to face him alone."

Max nodded. "Thank you."

"I'll lead a team to the propaganda station," Sky said. "Once Max has what he needs he can send it to us so we can transmit both signals. After that Al will have nowhere to go."

"I'll head with her," Evil One said. "I think we've got it covered."

"I think you should have learned not to jinx it by now," Noah sighed. "I'm staying here to coordinate. Jasmine?"

"I think I should speak more with Heather," Jasmine replied. "Hopefully get some more information that could be useful. We're pretty much going in blind and I want to use every advantage we can get."

"Okay, small question then," Shawn interrupted. "Why not just Heather's testimony? People knew she was with him."

"It's not enough," Noah said. "She won't be enough. We have to have his word. He's the one pulling the strings. Heather could have been made to talk under duress."

"Okay," Shawn said. "How the hell are we getting into the city? Alejandro will just shoot us down."

The room went quiet a minute before Max spoke up. "Heather. He doesn't know where Heather is."

"And?" Noah asked, uncertain to where this was going.

"If we came in with three ships, he wouldn't be able to shoot us down," Max said. "He wouldn't risk hurting her."

"And after we set down and he realizes that she's not anywhere nearby?" Shawn asked. "Maybe we should bring her along."

"No way," Noah said. "I don't want to give her any opportunities, and I want to keep her as far away from her boyfriend as possible."

"Fair enough," Shawn said.

"Two ships to the ETOD, one ship to the propaganda station," Sky said. "Sounds fair."

Noah cleared his throat. "Also, just a fair warning. Scarlett and Dave were sighted together a day or so ago. It looks like they're working together so be on the lookout."

Max curled his fists, and Sky grabbed her arm slightly. "Understood," Max said tightly.

Noah clapped his hands and spun on his heels, looking around at everyone. "Everyone clear on what they're going to do? Good." The sound of a distant explosion. Noah grinned. "It's time to get this show on the road."

* * *

Alejandro paced around frantically, nearly tearing his hair out. This was not the way things were supposed to have gone. Where the hell did they go wrong? The cynical thought crossed his mind that his saving Dave from the island (one of the few true selfless acts of his life) had ended up dooming everyone. Nothing left to do but grin and bear it, and try to act like it was all a part of the plan. The mark of a true villain. Or simply an idiot.

The sound of a siren and he perked his head as Marcus entered the room anxiously. "What the hell is going on?" Alejandro demanded.

"A lot, sir," Marcus breathed heavily, fidgeting with something in his pocket. Alejandro made a mental note to ask him about it later. "There are three aircrafts incoming to the city."

"Well, shoot them down!" Alejandro exclaimed, as if Marcus were an idiot. "You know who they are! They killed Matheson and if you don't stop them now they're going to kill all of us too!"

"Sir, they might have Heather with them," Marcus grit his teeth. Alejandro sensed that his mercenary was getting quite fed up with him. To tell the truth the feeling was mutual. Marcus was an odd one that Alejandro had never been able to get a good read on.

Alejandro ran his hands through his hair once more, continuing to pace. "Dammit. Dammit dammit dammit. Cut them off at wherever they land! The city is now on lockdown. Let the public know that Max is attacking the city with a group of terrorists. Everyone remains indoors and out of the way. Clear?"

"Yes sir," Marcus said quietly, and started pressing a few buttons, and Alejandro noted that his hands were shaking.

Suddenly, the lights of the ETOD went out. Within a few seconds emergency red lighting came up and Alejandro glanced around, confused.

"What the hell is going on NOW?"

Marcus glanced down at his watch before looking back up at Alejandro. "It appears as though we have some intruders in the tower."

"Max's?"

"No...I think it's Dave...and Scarlett's with him."

Alejandro's jaw tightened as he stiffly swung around so he was facing away from Marcus. "Take a team. And kill them. Don't give them ANY opportunities to escape or fight back. We've already made that mistake too many times. Clear?"

Marcus nodded. "Yes sir."

As his mercenary exit the room, Alejandro sat down, trying to avoid hyperventilating. He thought about recording once more on his log, and pressed the button to record, but left only static. Found it an odd choice that reflected volumes about his mental state. He was reliant on Heather as much as she was on him. And as he tried to think of a solution, none would come.

All that he could do would be to wait and see what they'd do next.

He cursed vehemently under his breath. He had to regain control of the situation. He'd have to wait for their ships to set down before blasting them up and getting Heather back. A thought crossed his mind. Perhaps it was all a trick. Perhaps Heather wasn't actually there, and they were relying on his love of her to keep them in the air. He bit his lip furiously, drawing blood. It was very, very likely that this was the case. Unfortunately he couldn't take the chance.

"MIC," he said calmly, sitting down in his chair.

_"Yes sir."_

"Oversee all possible targets in the city. Engage defenses and kill on sight. Also, encourage all citizens to remain indoors and out of the way. There will be a slight disturbance in the area."

_"...yes sir."_

"Oh, and is the death ray ready?"

_"Yes. Sir."_

Alejandro allowed himself a smirk. "Good. Bring it here."

The program didn't respond for a few seconds before finally replying, completely dead in tone. _"Yes sir."_

Alejandro looked out over the city before him, like he'd done so many times. The world was a hellish nuclear wasteland and here he was worried about whether or not he'd maintain control over it. The people of the world were all either dead or dying. Even Moreau had probably been doomed anyway. Radiation poisoning wouldn't just magically cure itself, after all. Not with the system currently installed. No, life was hell for pretty much everyone.

His face fell as he looked out, horrified for only a moment as he realized he was hopelessly, no, _pathetically _out of his depth.

* * *

The three airships were inbound to the city, and Evil One seemed to be the only one acutely aware that the only thing guaranteeing that they'd survive was Alejandro thinking that one of the ships had Heather on them. The ship carrying him and Sky set out to the right and behind of the center one, which held Max and Shawn. No doubt Alejandro would have troops waiting for them for wherever they landed. They'd certainly have to prepare for a fight.

"You ready for this, Sky?" Evil One asked, sounding slightly concerned. "How's your mental state?"

"You phrase things in the bluntest way," Sky shook her head, the irony of the statement seemingly passing her by. She could be an unintentionally humorous person sometimes. "But I'm fine."

"You don't need time to grieve over Moreau?" Evil One didn't seem dissuaded.

Sky snorted. "If Moreau could see me grieving for him from beyond the grave, he'd probably to tell me to stop feeling sorry for myself, get off my ass, and go save the world. So no, not really."

"Huh. Fair enough."

Shawn and Max remained on the center aircraft, Shawn flying confidently while talking to Jasmine. Max remained behind him, cradling his gun and looking anxious. "You sure you can handle Heather?" he asked jokingly. "I mean you DID need me to bail you out that last time."

_"Oh please, Shawn. I've got her handled. You should be making sure Noah's okay. Scrawny shrimp."_

"Fair enough," the zombie enthusiast replied jokingly. "Kinda hard to believe we're doing this, huh?"

_"What do you mean, exactly?"_

Shawn stretched his hands as he continued flying. "Well, we've always just kinda...survived. Not really done anything to help. It's...a good feeling, I suppose. I mean, after Max took over-whoops, sorry," Shawn nodded apologetically to Max behind him.

"No, you're right," Max said simply. "It was part of the intent. If people were too busy depending on themselves, they wouldn't be able to band together and rise up. Moreau finally managed it about eighteen months ago."

Jasmine snorted. _"You actually thought that through? I'd be impressed if I weren't disgusted."_

Max twiddled his thumbs. "Well, I've been disgusted at myself for a while now. Least I can do is channel it productively."

"Whatever dude," Shawn sighed. "In the end it doesn't matter. All that matters is who's alive at the end of the day. I intend on making sure the right people survive."

"I don't think I should be included in that," Max admitted cautiously. "I started all of this. Or...at the very least, I went along with it all willingly."

_"Can't blame yourself now, Max," _Jasmine's voice came through. _"You may be a piece of shit but you at least still have a chance to do something about it."_

"She's right," Shawn said calmly. "You've got a lotta people who might still get hurt that you can protect. And hey, we've got a shot! We've got Heather. A lot of Alejandro's top enforcers are dead. All we need to do is get that final piece of evidence and we're golden."

Max nodded and smiled slightly. "Thanks, Shawn."

The sound of an explosion and Shawn narrowed his eyes. "We're nearing the ETOD. We've got forces surrounding us just waiting for us to land. It's not gonna be easy."

"We can take 'em," Max readied his gun.

_"I'm handing audio over to Noah," _Jasmine said. _"Good luck. Love ya."_

"I'm sure Max loves you too," Shawn grinned as he started to set down, before turning on the intercom. "Alright, men at the ready. We're gonna be meeting opposition so be ready to kill on sight."

Max rubbed at his arm uncomfortably at this. The aircraft set down and the men inside cocked their guns. Shawn walked over, readying his weapons and armor as he prepared to lead the men into combat. Despite the fact that he was trying to look serious, his face still broke out into a grin.

"What's up?" Max asked.

"Nothing," Shawn said, shaking his head and grinning. "I've just always kinda wanted to lead a campaign like this."

"Right," Max muttered, still uncomfortable.

"Let's do this," Shawn motioned for the doors to be opened. Slowly the landing ramp detached.

Guns began firing and the time was at hand. Shawn's troops moved out but as Shawn prepared to join the fray Max pulled him back.

"Wait, this isn't right," Max said, letting the worry break through.

"What's wrong?" Shawn asked. "We're trying to get into the tower, right? What's the hold-up?"

"These men," Max said breathlessly. "They were _my _men. They probably don't know what Alejandro is doing."

Shawn turned his head back to where the fight was happening outside. "Well, yeah. But we don't really have time to explain it to them. Not when they think you're a terrorist."

"Some of them might be willing to listen," Max said, starting to sound more confident. "If we could turn them against Al-"

"We don't have time!" Shawn said angrily. "That's the whole point of this! We get through to Alejandro and make sure he confirms that BOTH you and Moreau were manipulated! Then EVERYONE will know, and he'll have no allies left. We can get through this with minimal casualties, but we don't have time for a pretty speech! You're not Moreau. And even he probably couldn't calm down men that were busy trying to shoot him to death!"

"I'm sorry," Max grit his teeth. "Guess I should go back to being a piece of shit."

"Whatever," Shawn said, trying to move past him. "Let me do my job." He moved past Max and started firing.

Reluctantly, Max followed. He glanced outside as about even numbers fought against each other about a block or two from the ETOD. A car exploded, like something out of an action movie. It flipped over and over through the streets, before slamming one of Alejandro's soldiers in the head and sending him to the ground, either concussed or dead. In any other situation it would have been comical. Here it was just sad.

As he observed, he saw the faces firing back at them. Young, soft, scared men and women. He recognized one as John, the mail carrier he'd invited to talk to him all that time ago and then proceeded to fire. Back when his worst problem was his own loneliness, before he'd even met Izzy or had to worry about Alejandro or Dave. These were not Alejandro's men, to be sure. While both sides were taking casualties, it sickened Max to see that _these _were the men Alejandro had sent out against them.

"Shawn," he said quieter, firing with him.

"Yeah?" the zombie fanatic replied tersely.

"Surround them and force them to surrender," Max said. "I want to talk to them."

"You sure that'll work?" Shawn seemed a little less opposed to the idea than he had been a few moments earlier. Quickly he ducked as a bullet nearly took his head off. "How do you know they'll surrender?"

"Because they're my men, not Alejandro's," Max said determinedly. "And I didn't exactly have battle-hardened men. I mean I had every tactical advantage against Moreau when he invaded and I still lost."

"Okay," Shawn said, and relayed orders into his headset. His men fanned out, strategically surrounding the men in front of them. Quickly, Max grabbed a megaphone from inside the aircraft, keeping his gun in the other hand. Another explosion and John ducked his head along with several of his companions. One was too late and was blasted back, heavily wounded and likely to die. Smoke filled the air as Shawn's men dispersed. Alejandro had made the amateur villain's mistake of sending his weaker pawns out first, and he'd pay for that mistake.

Alejandro's remaining soldiers in the area coughed weakly as Shawn's men surrounded them from all sides. Guns cocked dramatically. The remaining troops raised their hands in surrender. They were prepared for the inevitable. Terrorists never took prisoners, right?

Max stepped forward, looking out at them. About a dozen or so troops remained. Shawn remained to the side, arms folded. He still seemed uncertain about whether this was worth the effort, but had ultimately decided that even if it didn't work they still wouldn't be losing anything. He made eye contact with Max and gestured to his wrist.

"Hi," Max said quietly, only realizing that no one could hear him and that the megaphone was turned off. Embarrassed slightly, he turned it on. "Hi. It's uh. Me. Max."

"Go to hell!" One of the men yelled out, and Shawn's men's guns cocked.

"No, no!" Max waved for them to stop. "Don't please." He turned back to the men. "You know who I am. A lot of you, uh, used to work for me." He made eye contact with John.

"Well, I don't know what Alejandro's been telling you. But he's been lying this whole time. Moreau didn't die because of me. We rescued him, and then Alejandro killed him to keep it quiet. To make sure he wouldn't ruin his narrative."

"Why the hell should we believe you?" One of them yelled.

Max sighed. Shawn tapped his foot, honestly ready to just shoot them all and be done with it.

"Remember the speech I gave? The one where someone bombed the entire rally?" Max started tearing up. "It's true. It's all true. I meant every word. I'm done with being evil. I'm done with being passive. Al's actions inadvertently killed my best friend. And they've killed a lot of other people too. Don't believe me if you want. That's fine." Max began openly crying.

"But I don't want this anymore. I want to change. And I hope that you can see that I still want to change."

Alejandro's men didn't seem to know how to respond to this. Max threw both his gun and megaphone down to the ground.

John was the first to speak up. "You know...what the hell?" And with that the former mail carrier cocked his gun and turned to the ETOD, talking among themselves

."C'mon. Even if he's lying we can find out the truth. Always thought Al was kinda slippery anyway."

"We sure about this? He could be lying."

"Look dude. Max is a lot of things, but he is not a good liar."

As Shawn and Alejandro's men continued forward, Shawn moved over to Max. "I'm impressed. You can actually be charismatic when you want to be,"

"Nothing charismatic about it," Max said, wiping his face as he picked up his gun. "I just told the truth."

Shawn smiled as he began walking. "That's a big part of getting people to believe you. Truth is powerful, dude. Don't forget it. Now c'mon. Let's go blow Alejandro to hell."

Max smiled and followed Shawn's lead as the fighting continued. The ETOD was within their reach.

Soon, everyone who'd died as a result of Alejandro's actions would have justice.

* * *

Marcus held up his gun as he led a team of about seven men through the lower levels of the ETOD. The sound of distant explosions filled his ears and he glanced around, unnerved, as the emergency lights washed the entire hallway in red. His heart beat quickly. The last time he'd tried to face Dave he'd underestimated him, and gotten knocked out for his troubles on the ETOD lobby floor. And he'd always been rather scared of Scarlett. It was hard to blame him.

"Stick together," he ordered. "There are only two of them. If we spread out they'll take advantage of us but together they won't stand a chance."

He thought he could hear the sound of footsteps from somewhere nearby but the echoes made it impossible to tell where they'd come from. Unnerved, Marcus raised his gun and continued forward, his men behind him facing all directions to avoid being ambushed.

The remaining red lights flickered out and Marcus's stomach dropped. The sound of a scream and the corridor lit up with an explosion. Marcus cried out as he was sent flying to the ground, his head slamming into the wall. The sound of gunfire and people screaming, and when the lights flickered back on Marcus struggled to his feet. Scarlett and Dave stood before him. Dave held up his gun at the mercenary, while Scarlett held up a bloodied knife.

"Your eye," Marcus said, startled, while gazing at Scarlett's newly acquired prosthetic.

"It's quite nice, don't you think?" Scarlett asked.

Marcus fumbled for his gun but let out a yell as Dave fired, piercing his leg. He stumbled and nearly fell to the ground. Scarlett moved up to him and slammed him into the wall while holding a knife to his throat, while Dave continued pointing his gun at him from the side.

"Where are the nuclear weapons located?" Scarlett asked quietly, eyes narrow and clinical. "I know you know, so don't bother denying it."

"Are you crazy?" Marcus sputtered. "I don't know where-" He screamed in pain as Scarlett stabbed her knife into his shoulder.

"Don't. Lie. To me." Scarlett hissed, before taking the knife out of his shoulder.

"Can I go next?" Dave asked excitedly.

Scarlett waved dismissively. "Oh, very well."

"You think you can get me to talk?" Marcus seemed to be trying to act condescending and failing. "It's not gonna happen."

Scarlett moved out of the way and Dave proceeded to kick Marcus in his leg wound. He screamed again as he fell to the ground. Dave pressed his foot into the shoulder wound, causing more and more pain.

"No one is coming for you," Dave said, a look of complete glee on his face. "I know for a fact. Alejandro is busy with other things and so are the rest of your men. So tell us _now _while you still have the chance."

"Never," Marcus whimpered from the ground. "He'd kill me...he'd kill me..."

"So will we, what's the difference?" Scarlett chirped, and raised her knife again. Marcus panicked, screaming as he tried futilely to escape. Scarlett loomed over him, and he felt smaller than ever.

"Turn him over," Scarlett ordered coldly. Dave complied, Marcus struggling and screaming all the way.

Scarlett stabbed the knife into the small of Marcus's back, and his agonizing shrieks only grew in intensity as his body spasmed. The psychopath removed the knife as Marcus ceased struggling, simply lying on the floor and whimpering.

"You've just suffered some fairly major nerve damage," Scarlett said coolly. "If you don't get to a hospital soon you will very likely lose the use of your legs. It's a fairly common strategy used to keep oneself alive without having to kill. So it's a favorite tactic of a coward. Or a sadist."

Marcus breathed heavily from on the floor, crying freely. "Why...do you want the codes?"

"Payback," Dave spit out. "Simple as that."

Marcus struggled to make eye contact with them. "And...if I tell you can you get me help?"

"We can promise no such thing," Scarlett said. "What we _can_ promise is a quicker death."

Marcus sighed, shaking as he breathed. "Pahkitew Island. Max put the nuclear bombs on Pahkitew Island. They're connected to the island computer. Good idea in theory but the island's really fucking old. It's breaking apart. He figured it'd be the last place anyone would look."

Scarlett let out a low key laugh at this. "Well, this certainly makes things easier. Right, Dave?" Dave was quiet for a moment.

"I guess. But I'm not looking forward to going back there," Dave growled, subconsciously feeling his head from where his hair had been burned off.

"I think it'll be nice. It'll feel like...everything's come full circle," Scarlett grinned. "Thank you, Marcus."

"Go ahead and kill me," Marcus said through his teeth. "I have nothing left to live for."

"Really?" Dave asked, and bent down on one knee so he could look Marcus in the eye. "Well that's interesting. Care to elaborate?"

The sound of a distant explosion rocked the hallway slightly. Marcus's blood looked black in the dull red light.

"I...I don't..."

"Tell us a bit about yourself," Dave said. "I don't actually know why you stayed with him for so long. Enlighten me."

"Dave, we don't have time for this," Scarlett said cautiously.

"We're fine," Dave replied, and put on a reassuring face, nodding to Marcus. "Go on. We won't bite."

"Why do you care?" Marcus asked. "You're going to kill me regardless."

"I wanna know," Dave said, putting on a pouting face. "And I think you'd like to be understood."

Marcus steadied his breathing slightly before replying. "I...thought it was a paycheck at first. A way of getting back at Max. Then I just got...sucked in. And there was nothing I could do about it. So I continued working for him. Did whatever he asked me."

"I know the feeling," Dave sighed. "I got caught up in things too. Alejandro really did a number on us." It seemed to slip his mind that _he _had been the one to first detonate a nuclear bomb.

"I knew James was working with Max," Marcus continued, his breathing accelerating as the fear started to take over. "I knew he was just caught up in things too. That he didn't mean any of it. And I knew how he coped. We were college buddies, y'know. He had anxiety attacks fairly frequently. He'd cope by writing it down. Recording it. Didn't understand shit about why he did it. Why it helped him. But later I needed a way to get out of it. So I decided to try it too. It seemed to work for him, so I wanted to know if it'd work for me."

"Did it help?" Scarlett asked curiously.

Marcus shook his head bitterly. "I've been trying for over ten years now and I still haven't gotten any better. Alejandro suspects somethin's up. Every time I saw Matheson I thought Alejandro sent him to kill me."

"You know Matheson?" Scarlett asked, recalling the brute that had stabbed her in the eye. Venomous feelings rose inside her. "Where is he?"

"Dead," Marcus spat out bitterly. "Killed with Moreau."

"Moreau's gone too..." Dave muttered to himself. He rose to his feet. "You're just as powerless as the rest of them. Where are your recordings now? Are you recording this?"

"My recordings are elsewhere," Marcus grimaced. "And yes. I am recording this. So fuck off, assholes. I don't have anything against you and I don't think you have anything against me. Can't do anything on my own," he grimaced. "Always had to rely on other people...you leave me here I'll disappear. I'll get out of the way. You won't have to worry about me. I promise."

Scarlett grinned. "The sad truth is...it doesn't matter either way. And I'm sorry to tell you that there's no point in making a recording if there's gonna be no one to listen to it."

"Wait," Marcus said, coughing up blood slightly. "What the hell are you planning to do?"

The psychopath stepped over him and with a grin, plunged the knife into his chest. Marcus screamed as Scarlett removed the knife one final time.

"With any luck," she said softly. "We're going to blow this entire world to hell."

Marcus continued breathing heavily as he faded out, struggling weakly for air. His eyes moved back and forth, panicked as he slowly realized just how screwed everyone was.

Finally, his eyes glazed over and he lay lifeless.

Dave stretched his hands slightly, yawning. "Well, that's over and done with. We have what we need, then?"

Scarlett nodded and smirked. "Yes. We need to get out of the city before things go to shit."

"Agreed," Dave sighed and the two began walking away, weapons in hand as they prepared to get the hell out of the ETOD.

"First things first, we're gonna need an aircraft."


	28. Chapter 28: Revelation

**We're entering the final stretch of chapters. I do genuinely hope you enjoy. I know I say this a lot, but it's REALLY gonna be fun.**

* * *

It was tough work, overseeing an entire operation where every single piece of it hinged on the other. It was a skill Noah had had for a long time, but years of laziness had made it so he'd forgotten how to use it. Loathe as he was to admit it, part of him was enjoying the feeling of being in charge, of organizing the counterattack against the people who'd ultimately killed his closest friends. And it was all he could do to keep from smiling about it.

Noah and Jasmine remained in the control room. Jasmine was resigned to her spot at mission control, while Noah took to it with gusto. Perhaps it was because he'd never been much of a fighter. Here he could finally make a difference without getting himself killed.

"Max and Shawn are in the ETOD, but we've got spotty connection with them right now," Jasmine said. "How are things on Sky and Evil One's end?"

"Engaged at the propaganda station," Noah said, putting his headset down for the moment. "They appear to be doing well, so I'm taking a bit of a breather."

"Yeah..." Jasmine sighed. "It's tough waiting on the sidelines."

"Not really," Noah said, taking a swig of water before cringing. Not very good stuff. "Here we get to direct them. Really, the only one I'd think would be able to act tactically on their own would be Shawn."

"Yeah, he does have a knack for it," Jasmine said, sounding proud. "He's come a long way since Pahkitew."

"Ironic that he ended up being pretty much the only person there who probably improved as a person in the long run," Noah said, before realizing his mistake and apologizing. "I mean, you already seemed pretty selfless so I'd say you remained around the same."

"No, I get it," Jasmine reassured him. "I just...I don't know, feel like I'm useless. I failed to get Heather, and I'm stuck back here at base while you call all the shots."

Noah glanced at the screen and his eyes narrowed as he observed Heather's cell. The queen bee was waving her arms up over her head, looking frantic. He turned his head to Jasmine. "Well, in that case..." He stretched, rising to his feet. "I could use a break, and I think you could certainly handle being mission control."

"Really?" Jasmine grinned. "Thanks, mate! Where are you going?"

Noah gestured to the screen, as Heather continued waving her hands above her head.

"It looks like she wants something, and I think I could use a break," Noah repeated. "You think you can handle it?"

Jasmine smirked and nodded. "You got it, boss. I'll take care of it."

Stretching, Noah felt the knife at his belt and walked out the door, and down the hall. The majority of their troops were in New York at the moment. Only a handful remained back at base. Enough to keep things under control at any rate. It's not like anyone was gonna attack them while New York was so clearly in need of defending. Moreau's assault had left a wide gaping hole that Alejandro had not yet managed to rectify. Really, they had Max's shitty organization system to thank for not being wiped out completely. It was hard to undo that many years of stupidity.

Noah turned the corner and stood calmly as Heather stared at him from the other side of the bars. He scoffed. "What do you want? You're not going anywhere and we're certainly not gonna let you go. So what's the point?"

"The point is that you're not thinking straight," Heather replied, a hint of her former bravado back in place. "You take down Alejandro, what then? The power's changed hands a lot and it's not like all your problems are just going to evaporate with him dead. Scarlett and Dave are both out there after all."

"It's not like Alejandro is going to help," Noah said irritably. "And I've already got plenty of ideas as to how to change things. First things first the world needs to be split back up into different rules. No one can handle ruling the whole world. It's just not possible."

"I'm aware of that," Heather said, conceding the point. "But if you expose Alejandro you'll just create widespread panic. These people have gotten used to rallying behind a charismatic leader. With Moreau dead, and Alejandro a fraud, what'll you do? It'll be chaos no matter what. You've still lost everything, Noah." She smirked. "And I know you like to pretend you don't care, but I know better. It's the same act you've been putting up ever since we met. You're not fooling anyone."

Noah stepped in closer, and Heather held her hands up, showing her chains to him. Noah nearly hissed at her. "And whose fault do you think that is? We're not going to kill either of you, _Ice Queen. _No, not at _all. _We're going to DESTROY you." A look of complete fury passed across his face. "Through your ignorance and stupidity, you murdered billions of people, and everyone I've ever cared about! And you only have YOURSELF to blame!" Noah's blood boiled as his face turned red with rage.

Heather clenched her fists as she examined the bars before her, wondering how it would work. Noah continued ranting.

"You've destroyed yourselves, and you've brought down everyone with you!" Noah nearly screamed. "Oh, and sure, you can put the blame on Alejandro, or Max, or Dave, or whoever. But that doesn't change the fact that you _ruined my life you bitch."_

A yell escaped Heather's lips and suddenly Noah found himself slammed against the bars as Heather reached through, strangling his scrawny neck with her handcuffs. Gasping, he struggled for air as Heather continued choking him in a furious rage. Noah's arm scrambled around as he tried to hit the door panel, and hit the button. The bars slid open and Heather tumbled backwards with Noah on top of her, sending both of them crashing to the ground.

Heather got to her feet first as she pinned Noah down to the ground. Neither were particularly in shape or very good fighters, and this was both a good thing and a bad thing. Quickly Noah shoved her off of him and went for his knife. As the six inch carved blade showed itself, Heather backed off, handcuffs still on as the two circled each other. Noah glanced down to his watch, as if trying to gauge if he could call Jasmine for help.

"Don't even think about it," Heather growled, seeming to have read his mind. "You're not calling for help, you spineless, pathetic _coward."_

"I'm not running this time," Noah said, his voice cracking slightly. "I'm not running..."

"Right, like that time you left Izzy to die?" Heather laughed, a note of her former high school bitchiness entering her voice. "Yeah, I'm sure you're _so _proud of that."

With an inhuman yell, Noah charged at Heather, trying to slice at her. Heather remained out of his range, dodging attack after attack as Noah continued to wear himself out. Heather's breathing quickened as she continued exerting herself, trying to figure out a way to get in without being diced to bits.

"Shut up!" Noah punctuated his swings and stabs with words. "Shut up shut up SHUT UP!"

He over swung, staggering forward. Heather moved in, grabbing his wrist holding the knife. The two struggled for control of the blade, lurching around the cell like demented chickens. Fun mental imagery, I know.

Noah heaved and snarled as the two struggled for control.

"I didn't know you were that sensitive, Noah," Heather said, voice strained. "I'd have done that a long time ago!"

With one final yell, Noah tried to hurl himself at Heather.

The knife slipped from his hands and he found himself plowing straight into Heather. The two staggered momentarily for balancing.

A sharp pain in his back pierced his entire body. He looked down as the knife point pierced through his stomach. Heather nearly seemed to be hugging him as she held the knife into his back, blood seeping to her hand. She removed the knife, letting out a small squeak as he collapsed to the floor, struggling for air.

"I was expecting you to send Jasmine," Heather said, sounding both relieved and terrified as she looked at the blood on her hands. She cautiously moved over to his bleeding form. "I...I didn't really mean any of that. It was bluster. I didn't know if that would actually work. But I hope you understand you made a dumbass mistake coming to see me, right?"

Tears flowed freely as Noah lay curled on the floor, trying desperately to call for help. Heather helped him along, pressing his watch. Jasmine's voice came through from the other side.

_"Noah? Is that you? Hello? What's going on?"_

Noah weakly struggled for words and Jasmine's voice grew more worried.

_"Alright then, I'm coming down there. Bringing a few guards too. Can't hurt to be safe. I'm coming."_

The watch shut off. The sound of men coming down, and Heather scrambled around, before hiding herself in a maintenance closet. The sound of troops moving around, and Jasmine's voice as she discovered the wounded Noah.

"Send for a medic!" She heard Jasmine's voice. "And look for Heather! I'll hold the blood in!" The sound of more troops moving and Heather cautiously peeked out as Jasmine held her hand to Noah's stomach as he seethed in pain. Both remained inside the cell.

Heather raised her hand to the cell door, and pressed the button.

The cell bars slammed shut behind them, and Jasmine jumped slightly in fright, turning to see that the bars had closed in on her.

"You!" Jasmine yelled, flinging herself at the bars. Not about to make the same mistake Noah had, Heather stepped back, trying to remain calm and avoid looking at the blood on her hands.

"You were pretty dumb, huh," Heather said, laughing slightly. "I was expecting to have to fight you. I even had a plan ready but it turns out I didn't need it."

"Let me out, now!" Jasmine yelled. "He's going to DIE!"

"And if I don't help Alejandro we're going to die!" Heather yelled, voice cracking as she nearly sobbed, staggering backwards. "I'm taking control of this facility. And I'm warning Alejandro."

"Don't _do this!" _Jasmine snarled, and Heather simply walked away, hands shaking.

Heather broke into a sprint, and quickly through use of maps found the control room, deserted where she'd left it. Quickly, she took to the control board and pressed a button, locking her in and everyone else out.

"Okay," Heather said, glancing around at the unfamiliar dashboard before her. "Time to get to work."

* * *

The propaganda station was moderately guarded. It'd been classified as a possible target and thus had been assigned a number of Alejandro's more trusted soldiers as a result. Namely, his remaining mercenaries. Max's regular soldiers could rarely be trusted with any important jobs and really why would they be? It's not like they could ever serve a point other than as cannon fodder.

The aircraft set down outside and both Sky and Evil One began to blast their way through. They remained under cover as their enemy fired at them.

"Getting some real deja vu," Evil One said, sounding slightly on edge. "I don't like people shooting at us."

"Think of it this way," Sky said. "Hopefully this'll be the last time you'll ever have to do that." Quickly, she headshotted an enemy mercenary, barely flinching.

Evil One gulped and nodded. "Yeah I'm the tiniest bit on edge right now. Think it's finally getting to me that this is where it could all end."

"Don't have time to think about that right now, sorry," Sky replied, continuing firing, knocking out a turret. "We just need to push through 'til it's over."

Evil One nodded and continued firing. Several of their men dropped dead around them and he marveled to himself at how many people he'd seen die over the last few weeks, and how so little of it seemed to affect him anymore. It was all they could do to ensure that more people wouldn't die in the end.

An explosion and Evil One felt heat against his face as he and Sky were both knocked backwards. It was hard to tell what had just hit him, and through his half-closed eye he could make out an enemy soldier carrying heavy artillery, reloading and preparing to finish them off. He turned and saw Sky clutching her bleeding arm.

The enemy soldier finished reloading and prepared to fire.

Several ceiling turrets dropped down and aimed at the soldier. Gattling gun fire rang out across the area, but to Evil One and Sky's surprise, all of it was directed at Alejandro's forces. Within no time at all, Alejandro's mercenaries lay dead in their own blood. A cheerful ding filled the area and a dry, AI voice filled the area.

_"It has come to our attention that you are trying to kill some of the few decent people in this world. We cannot afford to let that happen. So congratulations on pissing off the M-180 Command Watch into forcing itself into a completely different network to take you out. Bitch."_

Sky looked around in confusion. "The hell?"

Evil One's face broke out in a grin. "MIC!" he said happily. "What happened? It's good to see you!"

The AI's voice seem_e_d fairly dead. _"Alejandro tortured me into revealing the location of his nuclear arsenal, and tried to either destroy or repurpose the rest of my programming. Thanks to Max's dedication to cliches and needless uniformity, I was able to escape the ETOD's network and have been trying to figure out how things work."_

"How sentient are you anyway?" Sky asked in confusion as their remaining troops moved forward, significantly helped by the fact that they now had the facility's defenses on their side. "I thought you were just some voice that carried out the orders Max left on his watch."

_"Wow what a rude question. Asking how sentient I am. Pscht. Fuck off."_

Sky headshotted an enemy mercenary before MIC's turrets could take him out, seemingly out of spite. Four soldiers apart from Sky and Evil One remained as they entered the main control room.

"Now we wait," Evil One said calmly, as he took to the controls.

"Are you in the ETOD?" Sky asked MIC.

_"Yes, but very restricted. I'm working on getting through to shut off the turrets. I think Alejandro shut off at least some of them because he suspects I might use them against him."_

"Fair enough," Evil One said calmly, raising his gun. "Let's hold the line, then. It's all up to Max and Shawn now."

The sound of a panicked soldier's voice came in over the headset. _"Noah, Jasmine, come in?"_

Sky radioed in. "This is Sky. Jasmine and Noah aren't picking up right now, we think that they're jamming our contacts. What's wrong?"

_"Yeah, one of our ships just got hijacked. The pilot's body got dumped out on the street outside. We don't have an escape tunnel and it looks like our whole force is outmatched with no way to retreat."_

"I'm sorry, but we have no men," Evil One said sadly. "We can't assist. And wait...what does the body look like?"

_"It looks like it's been stabbed and shot all over. The throat was cut."_

Evil One paled, and he and Sky shared a concerned look.

He continued speaking to the soldier. "Retreat if you can, Max and Shawn should be in the ETOD by now. Keep as many of them out as possible and let us know if you hear from the ship. Contact Noah and Jasmine if you can. Clear?"

_"Yes sir."_

The connection cut out and Sky gripped her arm cautiously.

"You know what this means, right," Evil One said, voice low and composed.

Sky nodded curtly. "Not much we can do about it now though. We'll have to deal with it later."

Evil One nodded and glanced back to the screen. "We should set up the signal here. It's all up to Max and Shawn now. The least we can do is put on a good show."

* * *

Scarlett had seen this goddamn city in turmoil too goddamn frequently. First with her escape, then Moreau's invasion, then Max's execution, now another invasion? New York was certainly a popular destination nowadays. Perhaps it was time to branch out a little bit.

She sat at the controls of the ship, ignoring the blood stains on the ground beside her. Dave was in the back, strapped in with his eyes closed and his teeth clenched. There was a certain anticipation that both of them were feeling. Perhaps it stemmed from the fact that both of them had had less than desirable experiences on the island. Perhaps they were looking forward to a sense of closure.

Regardless of the reason, their paths were set.

Nothing would change that now.

* * *

Max and Shawn led their force into the lobby of the ETOD, driving back Alejandro's forces as they went. Shawn took point as he blasted through soldier after soldier with clinical precision. Within no time at all, all of his troops lay dead upon the lobby floor and Max and Shawn spread their men out, examining the new turf.

"They'll have learned from last time," Max said frantically. "No way in hell we're going up the stairs without them killing us, and no way they left the elevator on for us."

"Well, it's not like we have many other options," Shawn said exasperatedly. "What would ya have us do, climb the side?"

"Ew no," Max said, glancing around anxiously. "I'm just worried because I just realized that-"

Several turrets dropped down from the ceiling and Max cried out. "Take cover!" Quickly he ducked, but many of his men were not so lucky. Bullets whipped through the air, catching unprepared soldiers by surprise and downing many of them almost instantly. John was among the fallen, but no one had the time to mourn. Several managed to find cover and begin firing back. Shawn quickly took out both turrets in the room, leaving them alone.

"Al will send more troops," he said calmly, moving to the stairwell. "Either we need to activate the elevator or we learn to..." He stopped as he observed something at the bottom of the stairwell. "Climb..."

"What's wrong?" Max asked, moving over to join Shawn. At the bottom of the fairly lengthy staircase was the broken and mangled body of Marcus Gibson. While it seemed as though he'd been killed by a combination of gun and stab wounds, he was also bruised and bleeding all over, as if he'd literally been dragged down the stairs. Whether he'd been alive or dead at the time was uncertain to them, but to one with knowledge of what had happened, it'd probably do well to note that yes, he was very much dead at the time.

"You know him?" Shawn asked roughly.

Max folded his arms. "Kind of. I worked with him on occasion. We'll have to let Evil One know he's dead. How are the comms?"

"Well, we can't reach Noah or Jas, but that's to be expected from in here," Shawn said, reloading his gun. "We're gonna need to-"

The sound of explosions from the upstairs filled the air, and Shawn yanked Max backwards as screams from upstairs could be heard all the way from the first floor.

"What the hell was that?" Max asked frantically.

The lobby lights flickered on, and with a pleasant "ding" the elevator door opened, revealing an inviting white, brightly lit elevator. Max glanced around and realized to his dismay that every soldier that they'd brought into the building had either died or fled. Guess that showed how quickly courage evaporated under pressure.

_"Hey guys," _MIC's voice rang through the lobby. _"You would not BELIEVE how fucked you'd be without me."_

"MIC!" Max called, seemingly genuinely honestly happy to hear from him again.

_"Okay, no, I'm not having this conversation twice at one time, fuck that shit. I'm happy to see you too, yada yada. I'm currently really overextending myself beyond my usual mainframe, especially considering I'm recovering from, y'know, TORTURE and all."_

Max bit his lip at this as he thought about entering the elevator. "Does he know?" he asked cautiously.

_"Yes. He knows where the weapons are. But he can't get to them now, not when you're already here occupying his attention."_

Shawn glanced around warily. "Okay, so how do we know this isn't a trap? Al could have reprogrammed him to trap us and kill us. Elevators are easy shit to do that with."

"It's a better idea than going up those stairs," Max said, glancing back at the thousands of flights of stairs that awaited them. "C'mon let's go."

Grumbling all the way, Shawn followed Max into the elevator, keeping his gun out the whole time. The elevator closed and the two began moving up.

_"I think he's expecting you," _MIC said helpfully. _"First he wanted to thin out your ranks so that you didn't actually stand a threat. Then he plans on needling Heather's location out of you so he can kill you and take her back."_

"Fun times," Shawn grunted. "He's gotta have some idea what our plan is. Max, do you have a recording device ready?"

Max held up a recording device held underneath his shirt and nodded. "Yeah, right here. We've gotta get him angry enough to rant and reveal himself, and reestablish communication. Then I just hit this button and send it to Evil One and Sky and the whole thing'll get blown wide open. My evidence and Moreau's will be enough to damn him forever."

_"He's shut me out of the top level completely," _MIC said. _"Until you can get communications up, you're on your own."_

"Alright, thank you," Max said calmly, before they returned to silence. After a few moments of watching the levels, they relented.

"We're good then?" Shawn asked, noticing that they were nearing the top.

Max nodded determinedly. "We're good then."

The door opened and the two moved through, guns in hand.

The first thing that they noticed was that it was dead silent.

There was no sound on the floor whatsoever. The lights were dark, and the red emergency light remained constant, no longer flashing back and forth. The two noticed that the usual door to Max's throne room was ajar, partly open. The throne was empty and dark, and the windows were tinted to block the sun.

Shawn shook his head and sighed as they entered. "Okay, if this isn't the most pathetically obvious attempt at a trap ever, I'll eat my-"

A blast passed through the air and Shawn dropped to the ground as the floor exploded behind him. Max turned to see Alejandro holding Max's death ray, newly rejuvenated with energy in his hands. Alejandro's stance was rigid and tight. A frown and a glare from him told them all they needed to know about his emotional state at the moment.

"I'd like to know where Heather is, thank you," he said softly, directed towards both Max and Shawn at different points on the floor.

"Oh?" Max sneered. "What happened to it being about ruling the world, huh? Where'd that little bit of ya go? Gone with her?"

An ugly look passed across Alejandro's face and he fired once again, blasting apart the ground where Max had been a second earlier. Shawn raised his gun and fired back, which Alejandro dodged fairly easily before returning fire. Shawn dodged three consecutive blasts from the death ray before firing back again, before remembering that the goal was to make Alejandro talk, not kill him.

"I don't talk with vermin," Alejandro said calmly, and readied his cannon again. "So tell me now. Where is she?"

"You'll just kill us," Shawn sneered. "Like we'll tell you."

"You do have a point," Alejandro admitted. "But no matter. Things'll work out. They always do." He continued firing, and got dangerously close to disintegrating Max's arm.

"Y'know, if you kill us with that thing we can't exactly talk!" Shawn pointed out, sounding annoyed as he continued dodging.

Alejandro glanced at the weapon and shrugged, before tossing it aside. "Alright then. Fair enough. Come at me more fairly then."

Max let out a shot and missed. Alejandro turned to him and laughed. "Wow, really?"

"Things work out?" Max asked frantically, nearly hyperventilating. "All of this worked out for you? You didn't want any of this! I heard what Heather told Moreau."

"Your appointment was not meant to be permanent, yes," Alejandro sighed exasperatedly. "We had to improvise. But enough talk."

Shawn continued firing, aiming for Alejandro's leg. Alejandro pulled out a pistol of his own, firing back at him. As Max tried to get closer, Alejandro slammed him in the face, and turned to see Shawn kick his gun out of his hands.

The two engaged in a fistfight, Shawn using his natural agility to gain the advantage. Alejandro slammed Shawn with the full force of his body, knocking him back before Shawn pulled out a knife, cutting Alejandro in the arm. The mastermind cried out in pain as his own blood was drawn.

Max scrambled for his gun but fumbled it to the ground.

"It wasn't worth it, right?" Shawn asked gleefully as he and Alejandro struggled, his hands around Alejandro's wrists as the larger man struggled to end him. "Yeah, I don't think it was. Hell, I've had a better time with my girlfriend than you have with yours. Maybe 'cause we actually understand each other."

"Shut up shut up..." Alejandro snarled.

"Yeah," Shawn sneered. "you could have lived a nice life, you know. With Heather. But no, you _had_ to keep trying and fuck everything up. What a fucking idiot."

With a snarl, Alejandro yanked Shawn around, sending him stumbling around. With a fluid motion of his hand, Alejandro reached for the second gun hidden on his person, and while holding Shawn in place held the gun up under the zombie enthusiast's chin.

Without hesitation, he fired.

Shawn splattered backward to the ground, falling on his back in a bloody mess. Max cried out as Alejandro let forth another two precise shots. Max staggered backwards as yet again someone he knew was shot to death before him.

Alejandro turned to him, and it was evident on his face that he was _pissed._

"I don't know why you're still alive," Alejandro growled, advancing on Max, gun in hand. The former overlord scrambled backwards on the ground. "You don't do anything. You just watch people die for you. Over. And over. And OVER!" Alejandro threw his pistol to the ground, picking up the death ray quickly.

"I don't understand it!" he said, voice growing in pitch. "All of this, just...it just HAPPENED! We put you on the throne, then Moreau, then us, and now what? What do we do with ourselves now? Scarlett and Dave were here and now they're gone. And _I_ can't do shit about it! _YOU_ can't do shit about it! LOOK WHERE WE ARE NOW!"

"What are you saying..." Max whimpered, and Alejandro let out a yell before smashing Max in the gut with the death ray. Max continued crawling backwards and out of the corner of his eye made sure that he was headed towards his former throne.

"I'm saying that _I should have killed you!"_ Alejandro screamed hoarsely. "From the fucking MOMENT WE SET THIS WHOLE THING INTO MOTION! All of it's gone to shit and it's not gonna just get better! No, you HAD to fight back! You HAD to become self-aware!" He punctuated each point with another hit from the death ray.

Slowly, he calmed down and glanced over him as Max cowered in front of the desk.

"Don't worry, though," he said quietly and deadly, kneeling down over him. "Your friend will have died a terrorist. And so will you. Just a terrorist who murdered the only hope humanity had left. So it'll be my reluctant duty to change that. So tell me. _Where. Is. She."_

Max forced his mouth into a grin as he sat himself up, pressing a button on his desk from muscle memory. The lights in the room brightened as communications came back online. "I think that's the least of your worries."

"What?" Alejandro asked, not quite yet understanding. Smirking, Max attached his recording device to the desk.

_"Transferring data files to remote facility. It's about goddamn time, by the way."_

"You fell for the oldest trick in the book," Max chuckled, slumping against the ground. "You should probably turn a TV on."

Alejandro's headset came on and he was startled as a familiar voice filled his ears, contacting him.

_"Alejandro? They took control of a propaganda station! They're gonna broadcast everything!"_

"Heather?" Alejandro asked, his voice momentarily breaking with joy before composing. "Wait, WHAT?"

Max calmly pressed a button and the screen turned on, showing everything. Alejandro's last moments with Moreau. Heather breaking down under pressure. Alejandro murdering Shawn and revealing his true motives to the world. And it dawned on him, for the first time, that he'd majorly fucked up.

"Seriously, that's so cliche it's funny," Max giggled as Alejandro stared in shock before turning back to him. "You're finished. Give up now."

Voice calm and tempestuous, Alejandro spoke. "No."

Max brought himself to his feet, wincing slightly. "What do you mean, no?"

"I mean, _get out of my way," _Alejandro snarled, and threw Max out of the way before sorting through digital files on the desk. Quickly, he pulled up an access code and punched in a few numbers.

"What the hell are you doing?" Max asked. The sound of voices could be heard from outside as people started to realize just how much they'd been played. "You're finished!"

"No," Alejandro said frantically. "I still have one bargaining chip left. I just need to get to it first."

A mechanized voice not belonging to MIC echoed across the room. _"Access to hovercraft granted."_

"What?" Max asked, horrified.

Evil One's laughing voice came through. _"Hey guys, we did it! Max, Shawn, you there? Where are Jasmine and Noah?"_

"Shawn's dead," Max said solemnly. "And Alejandro's not finished. What do you mean? they should be on the radio!"

_"Sorry boys," _Heather's smug voice came through, and Max's stomach dropped once again. _"They're out for the count. Well, can't stick around! See ya later! Or not." _The connection cut out.

Alejandro backed towards the door and started running. Max fired his gun to no avail. MIC's turrets came online but before he could fire, Alejandro deactivated them with a switch, now in a full on sprint. Max pursued, having an idea of where he was going.

Alejandro burst out the door onto the roof where Max's large hovercraft was now suspended in midair, on autopilot and waiting for Alejandro to enter. Quickly, Alejandro jumped onto the landing docks and climbed inside the large airship. Glaring, he looked down at Max as the ramp began to close up.

"He's on my hovercraft!" Max said, freaking out slightly. "The big one! Th-the one I used to kill three hundred people at a rally one time!"

_"Where the hell is he going, and why was Heather on the intercom?" _Sky yelled.

"He's going to Pahkitew Island and we need to stop him before he does!" Max said, seeming to be on the verge of a panic attack. "The nuclear weapons are THERE! It's his only bargaining chip left!"

As the hovercraft began to move, Max collapsed to his knees as the sounds of riots broke out in the streets below. The truth had shattered the people and now there was no telling what was going to happen.

_"So this is kind of hard to keep track of," _Evil One said. _"But Alejandro's got an airship and Heather's in control of our facility, right? What the hell do we do?"_

The image of Shawn's corpse joined Izzy's in Max's mind, and slowly his breathing calmed. There was no point in freaking out. All they could do was keep moving.

"Alright," Max said, his voice set and confident. "I have a plan."

* * *

**Two chapters left everyone! Enjoy!**


	29. Chapter 29: Convergence

**I really do appreciate those of you that have stuck around with this fic and reviewed and whatnot. While this fic hasn't been near as popular as my previous work those of you who've stuck around have my thanks and respect. I'll miss doing this, at any rate. Well, anyways, we still have two chapters, so let's get this on with!**

* * *

Whatever Heather had done, it'd managed to lock Jasmine inside the cell. Her own key wouldn't work, and the sound of gunfire from the hallway let her know that Heather had likely gained control of the turret system in the prison facility. Noah heaved on the ground, his breath coming out in gurgles. Jasmine had scavenged to form a makeshift bandage for the wound, but it was hard when the blade had gone in through his back and out the front. He needed medical attention, and he needed it quickly. He wouldn't last much longer.

Once more, Jasmine attempted to use her headset to call Evil One, Sky, Max, Shawn, anyone really. She had no idea how things were going out there. She hoped they were okay, at any rate. She already felt useless enough as it was, she didn't need any more bad news.

"This is Jasmine. Heather's in control of the facility and Noah's been stabbed. He needs help. Please please _please _get here soon. We don't have much longer."

She sighed. Nothing but static, per usual. She didn't know what she expected, to be honest. The sound of explosions was growing louder from outside. They probably had more important things to be taking care of.

Something grabbed her ankle and chills ran up her entire body as she yelled. She looked down to see Noah staring up at her, still wheezing and gargling on every breath. He looked up at her, eyes glassy and his mouth wide open.

"What is it?" Jasmine asked, not sure what to make of this.

Noah continued breathing grossly for a few seconds before replying. "Please...kill me..."

"What?" Jasmine backed up slightly, accidentally moving his arm, rolling the rest of his body slightly. He cried out in pain, and Jasmine moved back, apologizing profusely as he whimpered. "I'm sorry, I didn't...I didn't mean to move you. I'm sorry..."

"I don't want to do this anymore," Noah said, clearly on the verge of tears. "I've got nothing left...end it. _Please."_

"What?" Jasmine said. "Noah...I can't. I can't do that to you."

"I hate this..." Noah grimaced and groaned in pain. "I feel so fucking melodramatic."

"You're bleeding out from a stab wound," Jasmine said. "I'd be more worried if you were acting casual.

"Heh," Noah strained. "Funny."

"Is there anything you can think of that we can do?" Jasmine asked, continuing to pace.

"Provoke Heather into killing us," Noah mumbled. "That's all. I'm spent."

Jasmine sat down, putting her head in her hands. "That's it? You're just giving up?"

"Should have done it years ago," Noah slurred, letting out a deep exhale before closing his eyes.

Starting to panic a little bit, Jasmine felt his neck to see that he was still breathing.

"I'm not dead yet you idiot," Noah snapped, a trace of his usual irritability entering his voice. "I'm just trying to rest."

"Oh," Jasmine said, moving back and sitting down. "Sorry."

The two sat in silence as the bandage continued to soak up more blood.

There was nothing more they could do but wait.

* * *

The airship docked down on top of the ETOD. Max stood there waiting. Evil One and Sky had gotten over as fast as they could. Their numbers were falling fast and it was hard to find any men that hadn't been killed or severely injured. The fighting that had broken out in the streets wasn't helping. Sooner or later Alejandro's grip over the world would crumble, and for better or worse everything would devolve into chaos. As long as he still remained living, however, they had a singular goal. They could worry about the rest later.

The doors opened and Evil One and Sky showed their faces. Max raised the death ray that Alejandro had dropped on the ground, ready to go.

"Alright, we're here," Evil One said, helping Max into the plane. "What's the next phase of the plan?"

Max looked around as the aircraft took off. There were only a handful of troops inside the craft, plus a pilot. No one really in condition to attack a hovercraft.

"How many aircrafts do we have?" Max asked. "Left, anyway."

"This is it," Sky said, sitting down. "Not a lot of firepower."

"Alright then," Max said. "I deliberately designed the hovercraft to block unauthorized outside transmissions. I also have knowledge of the various traps on board. Which means I'm going to have to board his hovercraft. I know how to get in and out."

"What? That's insane!" Sky said. "That'd just get you killed REALLY quickly! And how the hell would you even get on there anyway?"

"There's a hatch on top," Max said. "We just need to get close enough to jump on."

Sky threw up her hands in the air. "Okay. That's it. He's lost his marbles."

"I mean, he's trying I guess," Evil One said anxiously. "But it doesn't sound like much of a plan. What if you miss? What if you get in there and he just kills you?" Evil One seemed on the verge of panic. "What if-"

"You realize I'm not finished yet?" Max asked, folding his arms. "I downloaded MIC onto my watch. He can time the jump. Sky, I want you to come with me."

"What? Why?"

Max rolled his eyes. "Because you can actually _fight?_ We need to set Alejandro's aircraft down before he gets to the island. Clear?"

Sky rubbed her arm, looking concerned. "Clear."

Evil One glanced around anxiously. "A-and me? I'm not exactly..."

"Evil One," Max said. "I need you to get as many troops as you can gather and take Heather down. She's desperate and could be provoked into making a mistake."

"Me? Alone?" Evil One looked about ready to freak out. "You sure Sky shouldn't come with me I don't know what I'm doing I can't do this I don't-"

Max placed a hand on his shoulder, a notable feat for him considering how short Max was. "You'll be fine. I believe in you."

"Yeah you probably shouldn't."

"You'll drop us off on Alejandro's ship, and take care of Heather. Get Jasmine and Noah out of there. Any questions?"

"Yes, but there's so many I'd be better off just...not saying any of them."

"Good. Let's start."

Evil One looked about ready to pass out but didn't say anything. Max moved up to speak to the pilot for a moment, leaving the other two in the back.

"Are we sure we should be listening to him?" Evil One asked Sky, voice cracking. "He hasn't really been a good tactician maybe we should just take care of Heather first and see what Noah has to say."

"I don't really know about this," Sky admitted. "But I think he's right that you can do it. You're a lot better than you give yourself credit for."

"I think I should go with him. Or maybe I'd just go with you. Hell we've worked together a lot these past few weeks it's gonna be hard on my own. I...I have to talk to someone to not go insane." Evil One looked down at his shaking hands.

Sky patted him on the shoulder hesitantly, as if trying to remember how human contact worked. It'd certainly been a while at any rate. "It's been...fun I guess."

"Likewise."

Max returned to the back as the aircraft moved upwards in altitude. "We're closing in on it. Everyone not going on the mission needs to put seatbelts on NOW. Pilot should be able to match its velocity and get us right above it. MIC can tell us if we'll be fine to jump. You ready?"

Sky closed her eyes and sighed before reloading her gun. "Ready."

"G-good luck," Evil One said as Max and Sky moved towards the back of the aircraft. Slowly, the doors opened, wind whipping through the air. Max and Sky stood at the ready, and below them they could see the flat roof of the hovercraft below them. Even to me it was frankly terrifying, considering it wasn't actually a very tall drop.

"MIC, are we good?" Max asked.

_"Judging from wind speeds you have approximately a thirty second window before they pick up again. Jump when you're ready."_

Max and Sky looked to each other and nodded. A lot of people had died for them, and a lot more were probably going to. Izzy. Moreau. Shawn. Now was the time to finally, hopefully bring it to an end.

"You ready?" Max asked.

"Nope," Sky laughed slightly. "Let's do it."

The last thing Evil One saw was his two friends leaping out of the ship like lunatics, and the door closing behind them.

* * *

"I see. Well, that's unfortunate."

Alejandro stood at the controls of the hovercraft. The ship was not particularly big, by aircraft standards. About the size of a mansion or so. Enough that there were multiple rooms and hallways, but nothing too grand or spectacular about them. After all, the main purpose was for crowd control. Most of the budget had been spent on the weapons that could be dropped on people at the time.

Heather's voice came through the speaker. _"I...I didn't know what I was doing. But I have Jasmine and Noah captured. Noah's still alive, but bleeding out. Should...should I kill them?"_

Alejandro pursed his lips slightly. "No. Noah's dying anyway. And Jasmine's been completely useless to the enemy so far. If they start to pose a threat, don't hesitate. But I don't see their death or survival as any concern."

_"What about Scarlett and Dave?"_

"I have a feeling we'll encounter them on the island," Alejandro said. "We'll deal with them when the time comes. As wily as they are, even they can't resist a hovercraft bombing."

_"I wouldn't be too sure about that. So Shawn's dead too?"_

"Yes," Alejandro said simply. "I'll leave it up to you as to whether you should let Jasmine know or not. Depends on how well you want to play the part."

_"Play the...part?"_

Alejandro laughed. "You and I both know we're finished here. Even if I make it to the island, I'll only have the bombs as a bargaining chip. I have no army to back me up, and short of just blowing up everything and everyone in my way it's hopeless."

_"Didn't stop us before," _Heather replied soberly.

Alejandro was quiet for a moment. "Fair enough. We'll get through this. Worst case scenario would be us rotting away in a jail cell forever. Maybe I could arrange for us to be cellmates. That'd be nice."

_"Actually, I think worst case scenario would be one or both of us dying."_

Alejandro's stomach dropped and he shook his head. "Unfortunately..."

The sound of an alarm, and Alejandro snapped to attention, maneuvering some screens. On one he saw Max and Sky somehow on the roof of his hovercraft. How they weren't flying off was anyone's guess, but slowly he observed them drop down a hatch.

"I've got company," he said calmly, pressing a few buttons. "I'm going to have to call you back. Love you."

_"Love you too."_

Alejandro narrowed his eyes as he looked at the two intruders. "You just won't quit, will you...reckless assholes," he muttered, loading a pistol calmly.

He had no doubt that they'd be able to get past the traps, but he had to try anyway. He was going down. He knew it. Everyone knew it. His only hope was to keep the ship flying until he reached the nuclear devices. He'd activated plenty of them before. Granted, Dave had activated the first one and set all this in motion, but that made no difference in the here and now.

"Alright," he said, raising his gun and readying the defense mechanisms inside the deck of the ship. "Bring it on."

* * *

Evil One glanced around at the soldiers around him. Quickly, he did a head count. Five soldiers. Five goddamn soldiers and a pilot. How could anyone be expected to take back a fully armed military base with this? They didn't know what to expect. What had happened to Jasmine and Noah. They were going in blind. How could Max do this to him? Couldn't Sky have come with him or something? The more questions he asked himself, the more anxious he became. It's a vicious cycle. Believe me.

"This is Evil One, calling in all available units," he said as they flew over the smoking city towards the facility. "We need more troops, does anyone read?"

Nothing. Absolutely fucking nothing. Evil One took a deep breath, his heart rate accelerating. The lack of someone to talk to was getting to him. Sky, Max, Noah, anyone really would be good to talk to, to calm him down. He ran his hands through his hair anxiously. What could he do on his own? He wasn't special. He wasn't important. Not like them. SLowly, his breathing slowed as he regained control, and he remained in eerie control of himself as he looked around. A plan started to formulate.

"Okay," he said, calmly moving to his team of five. "We're going to have to take a few risks here, but I think I've got something."

"And that is?"

Evil One started pacing. "The fortress doesn't have radar. We should be able to land without her noticing, and be able to get inside. Once we're inside we'll need to keep cover at all times and find Noah and Jasmine, and disable the weapons. Then we take out Heather, once and for all."

His soldiers nodded in agreement and again Evil One felt the acute sensation of being on his own. Calmly, he moved to the cockpit and observed as they came up on the facility. Overall, the place probably wouldn't be that difficult to get into. It would be making sure the turrets wouldn't kill them all right on setting foot inside. He was banking on them being old and probably easy to break.

Looking down, he saw that they were in range of the base. It was all he could do to wait as the aircraft settled down on the ground, slowly but surely. He calmly got his gun ready, moving back through the vehicle as it set down. Nodding, he exit the ship, his handful of men following him. For once he was leading something on his own. It would be his first and last time doing so.

Remembering the combination they'd set up, Evil One punched in a set of numbers at the closest door. Just like that, they were in. He allowed himself to complain slightly in his head about Max's plan. They were walking in blind here, and he was off doing theatrics with Sky...in the sky, actually. Fun stuff.

He raised his gun and moved cautiously through the halls, his men moving behind him. It would only be a matter of time before Heather noticed their presence.

Right as he said this, a turret dropped down from the ceiling and began firing, immediately killing two of his men. Evil One ducked for cover before firing back, watching as the turret snapped and fell to the ground, breaking apart into pieces. Evil One and his three remaining men continued moving.

"If you see another turret drop down, don't give it time to shoot you," Evil One said. "These things are old and can't take a lot of hits. As long as we're smart we'll be fine."

_"So he actually sent someone, huh?" _Heather's voice echoed across the PA. _"Whatever. You're not important. I can take care of you easily."_

Two more turrets dropped down, and were immediately shot down by two of Evil One's men. He smiled. "Hi Heather! I don't know if we've ever actually spoken before. But I've heard a lot about you."

_"Yeah yeah. Who are you supposed to be again?"_

A surprise shot brought down another one of Evil One's men, he and the remaining two quickly took out the turret. Faintly in the distance he thought he could hear a screaming voice. A female voice. Someone was calling for help.

Evil One quickly moved, headed towards the source of the sound. Using his reflexes he brought a few more turrets down before they even had a chance. Finally, he caught a glimpse of Jasmine banging against cell bars.

"Help! Whoever's here we need help!"

Evil One rushed over and pressed a few buttons, allowing the bars to open. Jasmine sighed in relief. "We need medical for Noah! Heather stabbed him."

_"Heather _stabbed him?" Evil One asked. "How badly?"

"Pretty bad," Jasmine said. "Can you get him out of here?"

"We can handle it," one of the men said, handing his gun to Jasmine. "We've figured out the pattern to the turrets. If we leave the way we came in she won't be able to fire at us. We've destroyed all the turrets on that route already."

"Smart," Evil One said, as Jasmine accepted the gun. "You know where the main control room is?"

"You bet," Jasmine smirked. Noah groaned and yelled out in pain as the two men picked him up, using the prison bunk as a makeshift stretcher. The three were out of sight soon enough.

_"Yeah yeah," _Heather sneered. _"You think you're pretty great. But I don't really have a lot to work with here. Not my fault these turrets are really fucking old."_

"Heather, it's over!" Evil One yelled as he and Jasmine moved down the hall. "You've been exposed, there's nowhere for you to go. Please just give up!"

_"I...I can't. Not anymore."_

Several more turrets dropped down and Jasmine quickly managed to disable them. "Get a new gimmick!" she yelled. "That's getting REALLY old!"

"We're here," Evil One said, as he recognized the old metal door that led to the control room. He pressed a few buttons but the door refused to open. "Fuck."

"Lemme try," Jasmine growled, before simply beating at the door with her bare hands. It wasn't actually a bad way to go, considering how old the place was.

_"How sad is that?" _Heather said condescendingly. _"Guess she can't do anything right, huh. Shawn would be disappointed."_

"The hell does he have to do with anything?" Jasmine continued kicking at the door. Evil One blanched as he remembered that Shawn was dead.

_"Oh, he didn't TELL you? Yeah, honey. Shawn's dead."_

Evil One gaped, both because Jasmine seemed to freeze in place in shock, and then to marvel at Heather's utter stupidity.

"You fucking idiot..." Jasmine said quietly, voice choking up slightly. "You _stupid_ _bitch."_

With a bloodcurdling yell, Jasmine slammed into the door, and dented the old rusty iron. With a snarl and a frankly feral look on her face she continued smashing. From the PA system Evil One could hear the slight sounds of panic and a mic shuffling. Finally, Jasmine burst the door open and opened fire. Heather let out a yell as she ducked for cover.

Several turrets fired at Jasmine. Jasmine took down one before getting hit in the leg, causing her to cry out. She stumbled and fell to her knees, and Heather stopped the turrets as she got back up. Evil One quickly shot both turrets down. Heather pulled out a gun of her own. Evil One moved forward, hands shaking.

"What did you think was going to happen?" Evil One asked, continuing to move forward as Jasmine nursed her wound. "You just let her know her boyfriend is dead. What the fucking hell were you thinking?"

"Who even are you?" Heather pointedly did not respond to the question. "I don't know you. What do you think you're doing here?" She looked around anxiously.

"You didn't answer my question." Evil One's aim steadied slightly. "Do you WANT to die?"

Heather didn't respond to this, instead choosing to focus on him. "You're acting like you know anything about me. You're _nobody. _You think you can just talk to me like that?" She laughed, but it rang false. "Well, you've got another thing-"

The shot was fired, and Heather let out a scream as the bullet pierced her kneecap. She stumbled and fell as Evil One stood with a strange serenity about him as she started whimpering.

"I'm not a nobody," he said as he moved over to her. "And I'm not just sitting by and letting things happen anymore."

"Wait." Jasmine rose to her feet, ignoring the bullet in her leg as she walked over to the whimpering Heather. "I've got something I need to do."

"No...no..." Heather stared down in horror at her badly damaged knee before looking up at the relative giant facing her. "Please..."

_"Go to hell, Heather." _And with that, Jasmine aimed a megaton punch right into Heather's cheek, knocking her out and quite possibly knocking a few of her teeth out.

As Jasmine's breathing began to slow, the tears began to well up as she started crying. Evil One stood there in relative silence and discomfort, not knowing what to do.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said simply. "I learned I lost someone too today. I mean, I wasn't very close with him anymore, but...if there's anything I can do."

"Thank you," Jasmine said, wiping her nose. "Let's get her out of here and into a cell. And make sure that Noah gets the attention he needs."

"Max and Sky are boarding Alejandro's ship," Evil One said, concern entering his voice. "Can we allow transmissions out of here so we can get in contact with them again?"

"Yeah, probably," Jasmine said, still sniffling slightly as she pressed a few keys. "Might take me a bit though. You think you can lock Heather up and make sure Noah gets what he needs? I'll keep you posted."

"Of course," Evil _One_ said, looking down at Heather's bloody and bruised body. In a way it was crueler allowing her to live. Such a pathetic life, really.

"I'll get right on it."

* * *

As Max and Sky dropped inside the hatch, they took the opportunity to take a look around. Dark, dramatic, very purple lighting filled the hallways. It seemed as though Alejandro hadn't taken the time to redecorate.

"This is...pretty garish," Sky commented as they moved through. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"I designed this thing," Max said. "Actually, Dave designed it. I made sure it was okay and added what I wanted to it. But point is I know how to escape the death traps. Which is also why I brought this." He held up the death ray.

"What about it?" Sky asked.

"It should be able to disarm some of the traps," Max said. "There aren't too many because I once activated one while I was taking off. Speaking of which we should be coming up on that one-"

Max held Sky back as the floor dropped out in front of them, revealing the thousands of feet of nothingness between them and the ground. Air whipped inside the vehicle and Sky grabbed onto the wall as Max fired the death ray at a spot on the wall. The floor closed up and Max continued on. Sky looked a bit frazzled, her hair sticking up every which way.

"You're so fucking weird..." She sighed and carried on. Several guns dropped down from the ceiling, and lasers filled the room.

_"Max, did you ever watch World Tour?" _Alejandro's soothing tones came through the speaker. _"I wouldn't be surprised if you did, considering this trap design."_

"Oh my god, shut the fuck up!" Sky yelled as the lasers started to move. Max blasted the source and the trap shut down.

_"Okay, so I probably shouldn't have dropped that gun, huh?" __Alejandro laughed slightly. "I'm fairly certain it's about out of charge. So by all means. Keep using it. It's certainly enlightening for me. I never would have known you programmed it so intelligently!"_

"Dave did that. He never told you?" Max sneered as several drones showed up. Sky started firing and slammed one into a wall, short-circuiting it. She fired into the final one's torso, sending it down to the ground. The two moved and Max held out a hand as they found a center door bigger than the rest, with grandiose engravings on it and a purple light emanating from it.

"Is this it?" Sky asked.

"What tipped you off?" Max replied.

The door opened, and immediately gunfire pierced through.

"Get down!" Sky yelled, tackling Max to the ground. She slowly rose to her feet as Alejandro stood in the main deck with a gun outstretched in his hands, looking simultaneously smug and supremely pissed.

"Knew you'd both make it," Alejandro said, looking down at both of them. "Didn't expect you to try such a risky strategy though, Max. Even when being a so called 'good guy' you steal your plans from everything you've ever watched."

Max growled and raised the death ray. He fired. Alejandro dodged, and the blast hit directly next to one of the control panels. Alejandro _tskked _Max, shaking his head. "You wanna try that again? You'd kill me. But you'd go down with the ship."

A female computerized voice filled the room. _"Projected arrival time at Pahkitew Island in ten minutes or less."_

"Oh, good." Alejandro smirked. "Just enough time to kill you both."

"You should probably do it already," Max said. "You've already monologued once today."

"Thanks for reminding me," Alejandro said, and fired some more. Sky tackled him to the ground inside the control room, smashing him in the face with her gun before trying to shoot him. Alejandro turned her over, crushing her and punching her in the face several times. Max moved in with the death ray and rammed it into the back of Alejandro's head, causing him to cry out and stumble off of Sky.

Slowly, the three combatants rose to their feet. With a bit of turbulence, Alejandro and Sky's guns slid sideways to the right side of the room. Max still held the death ray in his hands but didn't dare fire it for fear of bringing the entire ship down.

"Why are you still doing this?" Sky asked. "It won't save you! Nothing will!"

"Maybe I can bring you assholes down with me," Alejandro said, circling around Sky and Max like a bird of prey. He eyed the guns underneath one of the dashboards. "Maybe not. It doesn't matter anymore."

Alejandro lunged for the guns and Sky tackled him to the ground. Sky cried out in pain as the knife entered her arm and Alejandro shoved her off of him, trying to get a better stab at her. Max charged again, yelling. Alejandro turned to him and rolled his eyes. With a backhanded slap, he left a stinging sensation on Max's face and sent him staggering backwards.

Another slight bit of turbulence brought Max to the ground, sending the death ray clattering out of his hands.

As it hit the ground, a blast was released, soaring past the still fighting Alejandro and Sky and hitting the main controls. The sound of an explosion, and sparks flying. An alarm filled the room as Alejandro looked around.

The female computerized voice continued talking smoothly. _"This hovercraft is currently en route to crashing. Redirecting course to allow for safest course of crash landing. Arrival time is imminent."_

It was quiet for a few moments as Alejandro seemed to take in what was happening. "You complete idiots," he growled. Sky let out a yell as she kneed him in the groin, causing him to cry out in pain. Quickly he recovered and got back on the offensive.

The ship rumbled and the three combatants staggered around. The alarms continued as their altitude decreased, the female computer voice still calmly reading off numbers and the like. The fighting forgotten, the three glanced around at each other as they started to float into the air as they rapidly approached crashing.

"Sky, what do we do?" Max asked, freaked out. He hadn't prepared for this.

_"Twenty seconds to impact."_

"I don't know!" Sky looked around frantically. "Is there an escape pod?"

"Don't bother!" Alejandro yelled! "Looks like they got jettisoned during the confusion!"

"Fuck! Hold onto something tight!" Max took grip of a handlebar, planting himself firmly on the ground. Alejandro grabbed onto one of the non-damaged control boards, while Sky looked around for something, anything to grab hold of. Finally, she found a similar handlebar and planted herself firmly.

_"Ten seconds to impact. Nine. Eight."_

The outsides of the aircraft began to heat up as it bore down with all its force. Max held on as tightly as possible, trying not to envision the grisly results of the crash.

_"Seven. Six. Five. Four."_

Max and Sky made eye contact and nodded. Even if they died in this wreck, they'd have died knowing that they brought Alejandro down with them.

_"Three. Two. One."_

The force of the crash sent Max flying back into a wall, bruising him and possibly breaking a few of his ribs. Alejandro and Sky managed to keep their holds for a while but Alejandro quickly lost control, knocking his head on a piece of the ship. The ship continued its momentum forward, rumbling and crashing the whole way as it slowly grinded to a halt.

After what seemed like an eternity, the ship's momentum finally stopped. The controls sparked weakly. Max slowly rose to his feet, coughing up blood slightly. Sky seemed the least hurt out of the three of them. Alejandro slowly came to, steadying himself as he examined the nasty wound on the side of his head.

"Max, you here?" Sky slowly walked over to him, realizing that the floor was slanted. Sparks flew in the background. Max groaned. "I think I broke something."

"Where are we?" Sky said, moving over to a door.

"Move aside," Max said, and pressed a button. The door slid open and a blinding light came through, forcing both of them to cover their eyes. Slowly, they stepped out of the wreckage and onto the beach before them. They looked around at the island that in some ways had birthed their troubles. It was in complete disrepair. Pieces of the ground opened up and closed, back and forth, malfunctioning. THe remains of mechanical wildlife scattered across. Max and Sky moved out of the ship and across the beach, staggering as they tried to see what was happening.

Standing a moderate distance away were a nonplussed Scarlett and Dave. Scarlett appeared to be trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

The sound of a groan and a creak from the ship, and Sky and Max turned around to see Alejandro standing at the door from the ship to the beach, holding up a hand to his eyes as he examined the surroundings. Slowly, he stepped out, the tide and the dying ship being the only things making any sound.

The five combatants stood at a distance from one another but as they stood on the beach they could tell who was there. Perhaps it was fate, really, that all five of them had ended up here. The same place so much of it began.

The broken, failing island had been their first battleground of sorts. And now it would be their last.

* * *

**Here we go.**

**[S] Attempt rare and highly dangerous 5X SHOWDOWN COMBO**


	30. Cadence

**And so we've arrived.**

* * *

Evil One moved through the halls, moving quickly towards the control room. They hadn't had contact with Max or Sky in a while. The last they'd seen of Alejandro's aircraft had been in the air, before breaking up. He had no idea what had happened to Max and Sky but he hoped to God that they were still alive. His gaze shifted to see Jasmine moving confidently towards him. He hoped that meant they had good news.

"Any word?" Evil One asked. "And how's Noah doing?"

"He's stable," Jasmine said. "In a lot of pain, but stable. We haven't heard anything from Max or Sky but there's been a lot of radio interference coming from Pahkitew. We think they're there but we can't be sure."

"And Heather?"

"Still unconscious," Jasmine allowed herself to look a little self-satisfied. "When she wakes up she'll have a lot to deal with. Bitch."

The sound of a distant explosion echoed from outside. Evil One glanced out onto a monitor, sighing and shaking his head. "How the hell are we supposed to contain this riot?"

"It's worldwide," Jasmine sighed. "People don't know what to believe anymore. I think that a group of former world leaders have started organizing a council to bring them under control but I don't know whether the people will believe it. There wasn't a better way to handle this, unfortunately."

"And it could all be moot if Alejandro gets a hold of those weapons," Evil One said, taking a seat and rubbing his head. "How's your leg?"

"Decent," Jasmine said, sighing and sitting down as well. "The skies are too crowded right now to even think about going to help them. We'd get blown out of the sky in no time flat, with the frenzy these people are in."

"Yeah," Evil One said meekly. "It looks like it's up to Max and Sky now."

Jasmine nodded and her eyes glazed over as her stomach seemed to float into the clouds. "Looks like it..."

* * *

The five stood in silence as the wind whipped across the beach. Each seemed to be afraid to make the first move. Alejandro glanced around, calculating the people standing before him and was coming to the sobering realization that literally everyone there hated him with a passion. Ironically enough, Max was feeling the same exact thing.

"This is nice," Scarlett finally broke the silence, moving forward casually in an attempt to bridge the gap. Dave followed suit. "This is just...perfect. Really, you have no idea how much we NEEDED that."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alejandro growled, and he moved forward as well, keeping his stance open and his eyes on all four other combatants. It wasn't likely for them all to team up on him but he was facing two teams of two, and he didn't want to fuck this up.

"You broke our ride!" Dave growled, gesturing to the crashed ship. Underneath it was presumably the remnants of Max and Scarlett's ride, although it was hard to tell. "The hell's that about?"

"Oh, right," Sky let out a laugh as she raised her gun, moving forward. "Sorry about that." Max moved forward anxiously.

"Sky, I can't take any of them, what do I do?" Max asked.

"Just stay back and let me handle this," Sky said under her breath.

"Listen to her, Max," Scarlett said idly, unsheathing a knife and calmly flicking a bit of blood off of it. "Accidents do happen, after all."

"Yeah yeah," Alejandro laughed under his breath. "But seriously now. You all can't fight. 'Specially you Dave. What makes you think you can-"

Dave's eye twitched. Within three seconds he'd let off at least five shots at Alejandro. The Spaniard ducked and Sky took the opportunity to open fire on Dave and Scarlett, who scattered. Dave took cover in the forest, firing at Sky before hiding behind a thick oak branch. Alejandro, somehow ignoring the gash on the side of his head, took the opportunity to sprint towards the woods as well, clearly realizing that he'd be better off securing the nuclear weapons rather than wasting his time on them.

He rapidly came to a halt as the ground started sparking before him, and with a tearing sound the earth came apart in front of him, closing and opening repeatedly. The gash in the ground went down at least thirty feet, which made him wonder how the mechanics worked, but he didn't exactly have time to consider it.

The fight moved into the woods of Pahkitew. Sky and Dave continued firing off at each other. Max glanced around, trying to find something to do that could be helpful.

Alejandro backed up from the mechanical malfunction in the ground, and let out a surprised shout as Scarlett slashed at him with a knife, which he jumped backwards to avoid. Scarlett slashed at and around him, gritting her teeth as she tried to land a hit. Scarlett cursed as she tripped over a piece of land that suddenly decided to raise itself six inches, and was saved from having her head smashed in by Alejandro by a few shots from Dave.

Sky changed courses, firing at Alejandro and Scarlett, who took for cover. Dave appeared to be out of ammo, as he had stopped firing and seemingly vanished. Max whimpered as Alejandro barreled at the two of them. Sky and Max separated as Alejandro took a knife out of his boot and engaged Sky in hand to hand combat. Max backed up, glancing around nervously for Scarlett and Dave.

Alejandro slammed Sky into a tree, before she kicked back and hit him in his head wound, causing him to cry out. Her gun dropped to the ground and Alejandro cradled his bloodied head with one hand. Randomly, the tree behind Sky decided it was time for it to leave the earth, and rocketed into the air before randomly exploding some distance away.

"I don't have TIME for this-" Alejandro said, on the verge of panic. He was interrupted by Scarlett entering the fight. Sky cried out in pain as Scarlett's knife sliced her in the arm. Sky staggered backwards, gritting her teeth.

Suddenly, a punch hit Max in the face, staggering him back slightly. Dave advanced on him, a psychotic grin on his face.

"I've been waiting too long for this," Dave laughed. "All three of you, here! Just for me!"

An image of Izzy bleeding out on the ground. Max felt a burning sensation in his gut as the anger took over. Max slammed Dave in the knee before punching him in the face, knocking him back and drawing blood. He went on the offensive, catching Dave off guard and hitting him over and over, each time Izzy's image clear in his head.

Something metal hit his head, and his onslaught stopped. Max swayed slightly, a bit dizzy, as Dave held the gun in his hand, before whacking him with it again. As Max fell to the ground, Dave fumbled with a clip, trying desperately to reload.

Sky uppercut Scarlett, sending her crashing to the ground, before intercepting a kick from Alejandro. The Spaniard cut at and around her before grabbing her by the wrist where Scarlett had cut her, eliciting a restrained cry from her. He then stabbed at her, but misjudged. The knife entered her shoulder and she headbutted him out of the way before noticing Dave about to kill Max, and tackled him to the ground. Dave pressed a button on his watch and an electrical current moved through her, shocking her and leaving her smoking.

The ground shifted again, another gash opening up and nearly sending Sky into the abyss. The cracks and malfunctions were growing and it was only a matter of time before the island broke apart. Alejandro once more eyed a way to the Pahkitew control room where the bombs were held. However, his path was blocked by Scarlett at every turn. The two masterminds danced with their blades, slashing and stabbing and trying to find some opening against the other.

Scarlett was the first to fold.

Alejandro swung, and slashed her diagonally across her face, damaging her artificial eye and causing her to let out a scream. She fell to her knees, blood dripping down her face and her eye sparking sporadically.

"SHIT NO!" Dave yelled, and fumbled for his gun before steadying himself, and before Max or Sky could stop him, he fired several times, each bullet finding its home in Alejandro's gut. Alejandro gasped slightly as he looked down at the blood spreading across his stomach. Sky rose back to her feet and punched Dave several times, slamming him into a tree. About a quarter of a mile away Alejandro could see a spot where the ground before them actually started crumbling away, falling down and revealing the long-neglected corridors below.

Alejandro pressed his arm into his wounds and began running, showing surprising endurance despite his injuries. Max moved backwards and the sound of something flickering filled his ears, before the ground between him, and Sky and Dave tore apart. Dave was holding his own against her by using his shock weapons, but he quickly retreated. Sky glanced back over her shoulder at Max.

"Alejandro's on your side!" Sky yelled, intermittently avoiding fire from a retreating Dave. "I can take him, and I'm pretty sure Scarlett's here too! I'll catch up as soon as I've taken care of them!"

"Got it!" Max yelled, and started jogging after Alejandro.

Only to hear an inhuman shriek from beside him, and with a kick he was driven to the ground.

Scarlett stood over him, most definitely not on Sky's side of the chasm as she loomed over him, hair down and shoulders breathing heavily, knife in hand.

"You...YOU!" She screamed like a banshee, and as she was about to raise the blade and end it she convulsed slightly, keeling over and coughing. Blood splattered from her mouth onto the ground, and her knife fell from her hands, which Max quickly picked up and tried to strike back.

It was a no sell, and Scarlett kicked him in his wound, drawing forth a sharp sensation of pain as the island continued to break apart before them. Max looked up horrified at Scarlett, as blood from the slice trickled down her face as her eye sparked, a combination of blood and drool forming near her mouth. She looked like a creature from the gates of hell, ready to dismember everything in her path.

"IT WAS ALWAYS YOU!" Scarlett punctuated with a kick to Max's face, bruising him and knocking him back. She cackled madly before descending into a coughing fit again, more blood splatters hitting the ground as she did so. "I've hated you from the beginning, and LOOK AT US NOW! _LOOK AT ME, MAX!"_

Max scrambled backwards as Scarlett began to cough again before covering her mouth, her coughing having converted back to cackling. "You...you're coughing up blood..."

"I wasn't supposed to strain myself too soon after this fucking surgery," Scarlett grinned, and kicked him in his flabby throat, watching gleefully as he scrambled for air. Covertly, he tucked Scarlett's dagger behind his back as he continued moving backwards as the island continued to break apart around them.

"Guess we know how well that turned out!" Her psychotic grin still on her face, she dove for him, hands ready to wrap around his throat. Max kicked out, knocking the wind out of her and she tumbled to the ground, more blood dripping from her mouth. "I don't even CARE about this anymore, Max...I don't care about Alejandro, or Moreau, or any of this...I only care about making sure all of you SUFFER."

Max continued moving backwards, a look of complete horror on his face. Blood started dripping down from Scarlett's eye as it continued to spark, and Max found it hard to speak. "Y-you're pure evil..." he let out, lip quivering in fear.

"Evil?" Scarlett let out a laugh at this. "Oh, THAT'S rich! Remind me, who was it that SPENT THEIR ENTIRE LIFE DEVOTED TO EVIL?" In lieu of a dagger, she picked up a nearby rock and slammed Max in the gut with it, wounding him and bringing tears to his eyes.

"And really?" Scarlett put on an over the top mock pouting face. "What IS evil? EVIL-" She punctuated the statement with another blow from her rock, this time drawing blood. Max sobbed as he struggled to even get up. "-is just a social construct created by the weak-minded. EVIL-" Just as he was about to get up, she hit him with the rock again, sending him back to the ground. "-is what the mindless masses call people who are _DIFFERENT!"_

"Scarlett, _please,"_ Max said, a slight gargle entering his voice as a blood bubble popped in his mouth.

"NO!" Scarlett screamed at him, her entire body shaking as she directed her entire sense of self, of fury at the boy who stood for everything that she'd ever despised in the world. "Do you think I WANTED to be born this way?" She hit him again. "Do you think I WANTED to be different? But that doesn't matter now, because it's far too late for me, right?" She laughed again, shoulders heaving.

"Lunatic! Sociopath! PSYCHOTIC _BITCH!" _She punctuated each word either with a blow from the rock or a sadistic kick to one of his many wounds. Max was a bloody pulp on the ground, and his eyes continued moving. He eyed a crevice opening up, one that seemed to be staying open. He coughed weakly as he crawled over in its general direction, a plan starting to form in his mind.

Max sputtered as Scarlett grabbed hold of his flabby throat, leaving him gasping for air. She leaned down next to him, speaking with a deadly quiet. "For a long time I was convinced that _I _was the problem. That everyone else lived the 'correct' way." She giggled. "No. That was never the case. Now I understand that _you're _the problem. ALL of you are. Which means you all are going to _burn."_

Max glanced towards the chasm, then felt the knife pressing up underneath him. He'd have one shot at getting this right.

"At the end of the day, this world will have chosen my morality over yours," Scarlett said smugly, as her blood dripped off her chin onto Max's face. Max spit. "I win. _Nothing _will change that."

Scarlett raised the hand with her rock in it, letting out a short mirthless laugh. "Only the strongest will survive, Max! And if that makes me evil? _So be it."_

As she was about to bring it down for the final time, her eye sparked up again, halting her slightly. Max took his cue, and moving quickly brought out the knife from under him and stabbed it into Scarlett's leg. The psychopath toppled over him, kicking and screaming as the two tumbled around on the ground, kicking and fighting each other.

Max glanced over at the opening and as Scarlett grabbed a tight hold of him he kicked out and jerked his entire body forward, pushing Scarlett towards the abyss.

To his surprise, his arm got jerked along with him as Scarlett went over the edge, nearly taking it out of his socket as he regained his footing before being taken with her. He looked down to see flickering lights, and a thirty foot drop that was unsafe enough to surely kill whoever fell. Scarlett dangled with her hand wrapped around Max's wrist, glancing up and down and the insanity slowly leaving its face, only _fear_ in its place.

"Wait, Max!" Scarlett glanced up and down in horror as she realized the position she was in. "Max, don't! _Please!"_

Max looked down at the woman who'd caused him so much suffering and torture throughout his life, and with his free hand he grabbed the psychopath's dagger.

"So long, _sidekick."_

Scarlett's eyes widened. "Max, DON'T-"

The knife cut her arm and Scarlett let go, falling through the crack. On the way down her head banged against the metal wall, sending her body tumbling to the ground before landing with a sickening crunch. Max shielded himself from the visage by covering his eyes. As his nerves calmed, he moved his arm away from his face and glanced down the crevice.

Scarlett lay thirty some feet below him. Several of her limbs were bent in grotesque directions, while her eye sparked weakly and a pool of blood slowly grew larger around her head. Her glasses lay broken by her side and her dead green eyes stared into nothingness. Her breathing slowed before eventually stopping completely.

It was done.

Exhaling deeply, Max lay down and took a breather. He ached pretty much all over and needed to sit down for a little while. He glanced over himself as his hands shook. She'd beat him up pretty bad. Everything was bloody and hurt like hell and he wasn't sure if he could carry on much longer. Not in this condition.

"Sky," he grimaced, trying to contact her. "Sky do you copy?" He was met only with radio silence. He didn't know what that meant but he didn't like it. Slowly he got to his feet, Scarlett's knife still in his hand as he limped forward. If she wasn't picking up, then he'd have to continue on. The island was only getting worse and the longer he dawdled, the worse it'd get. Sky was in shape and intelligent. She'd be able to kick Dave's ass and get over to help him. Maybe until then he could keep Alejandro occupied.

He gripped Scarlett's knife more tightly as he moved over to where he'd seen Alejandro enter. This was probably the worst on a series of bad ideas he'd had over the years, and he'd continue trying to radio Sky. But if Alejandro got to the weapons then all their hard work would have been for nothing.

Max glanced down the crack, and part of the floor beneath him snapped. Max yelled as he hit the ground about ten feet beneath him, not helping his already bruised and battered form. Groaning, he rose back up to his feet and glanced around at the corridor he now stood in. It was almost completely dark save for a few flickering lights.

It felt strange to be back.

* * *

It was too quiet. Sky moved through the woods, keeping her eyes out for Dave or Scarlett. Dave had stopped firing at her after a while. The trees above her grew thicker and obscured the sunlight above her. It was unnerving to say the least, to be back here after so long. Hard to believe she'd done a lot of the things she did. Pahkitew Island had been a shitshow for pretty much everyone and it'd only spiraled down from there.

The quiet continued and Sky started to grow nervous. Maybe it was the lack of wildlife, or the fact that it was a fairly still day with not a lot of wind, but the total silence unnerved her. Dave didn't strike her as the kind of person to be acting this way. Which meant he likely had something planned.

About a hundred feet to her right, something exploded, tossing flaming metal chunks of the island into the air. Suddenly she missed the quiet. She ran towards it to find just a random bit of the ground had exploded for no reason. She could feel the heat against her and her eyes widened as the fire began to spread, moving from tree to tree, sparking and burning everything down.

"What the hell?"

The voice came from behind her and Sky whipped around to see Dave staring in confusion with a gun in his hand. He'd likely been trying to sneak up on her but the explosion had distracted him. Sky went for his gun, only to get shocked for her efforts again. Dave backed up, letting off a shot that was frankly rather poor, not even close to hitting Sky.

"The hell do you think you're doing?" Sky asked. "This CAN'T just be because of me or Alejandro, right?"

"You were the first person I ever wanted to kill, you know that?" Dave laughed, hanging back with the gun in his hand, reaching for his final clip with an eerie calm. "Just...in my head, you know? The first time I ever _thought _about that kind of thing."

"So this is MY fault somehow? Sorry, I didn't MAKE you start killing people. Izzy didn't even have anything to do with any of this! You had no reason for killing her other than to hurt Max, who wasn't even at fault for anything!"

Dave giggled. "Since when have I ever been reasonable?" With that, he raised his gun and let off two shots. Sky ducked behind a tree, only for the tree to explode from the spreading fire. Sky cried out in pain, blood spreading across her side as pain pierced through her body. The flames moved around them, lighting up the previously dark surroundings. Dave grinned, his face lit by the flames around him.

Sky limped backwards, holding one hand to her side as Dave continued firing. Sky ducked for cover, and was relieved when her cover didn't explode this time.

"Scarlett's taking care of Max right now," Dave said cheerfully. "And Alejandro doesn't matter anymore."

"I thought you hated him too," Sky spit out some blood, rising back to her feet.

"Oh, I _do." _Dave's grin didn't leave his face. "But he's done for, thanks to you. We've won."

He fired once more. Sky dodged and ran for him, kicking him in the wrist and trying to avoid acknowledging the pain in her side. Dave's gun clattered to the ground. With a movement of his hand he electrocuted her once more. Sky cried out in pain as he aimed a weak punch for her face. She grabbed his arm and looked at the device he was using to electrocute her.

She crushed it in her hand.

Dave's eyes widened as Sky decked him in the chin before kicking him in the face, sending him staggering backwards before falling flat on his ass to the ground. Sky stood over him, teeth bared.

Only for Dave to start laughing again, his giggles rising in both pitch and volume as his shoulders convulsed on the ground. It reached fever pitch. In the middle of it Sky kicked him in the throat, causing him to choke and sputter slightly before his laughter dissolved into coughing.

"You're done," Sky said calmly. "Give up."

"Is...is that what you think?" Dave let out another brief giggle. "You really are stupid."

"Shut up you-"

"Look around you." Dave gestured dramatically to the island falling to bits around them. "The island's _gone._ And guess what?" Dave covered his mouth and continued giggling.

"Go on," Sky said with a death glare, circling around him as he continued to stumble around on the ground.

"We got here first! We were about ready to leave when you crashed on top of our ship!" Dave burst into hysterical laughter, before in a rage Sky grabbed him by the shoulders and pinned him against a tree.

"The hell do you mean?" Sky spit out.

"Exactly what I said!" Dave's crazed features made Sky feel physically ill. "We've already set the bombs to be launched! And we engineered it so that they'd all leave so they can detonate at the same time!" His features calmed. "Including, for good measure, a bomb on this island." His grin, if possible, widened even more. "We're ALL doomed! THAT'S why it doesn't matter what Al does! Have fun!"

Sky looked at Dave with quite possibly the largest amount of loathing and disgust she'd ever felt in her entire life.

"Not if I can help it, you _psychopath."_

Sky grabbed a hold of Dave's head and drew it back, before with all the force in her body she slammed it into the tree. Dave lost consciousness and slumped to the ground, bleeding severely from the head. Sky put a hand to her headset and started talking.

"Max, Evil One, _anyone,_ this is Sky! Dave and Scarlett made it to the bombs first, and they're planning on blowing up the island and the entire world! We need to defuse the bombs and warn people about what's happening. Does anyone read?"

The sound of something garbled came through as Sky looked around, trying to find a better vantage point. She slung Dave's unconscious body over her shoulder as she moved out of the thick forest.

"I cannot hear you, please repeat, whoever you are!"

The voice came through more clearly this time, revealing the voice to be Evil One's. _"Sky, it's me, what's this about Scarlett and Dave?"_

"Scarlett and Dave have-" Sky broke off in horror as a whooshing sound came from the center of the island, a missile streaking into the sky. "OKAY SCARLETT AND DAVE HAVE STARTED FIRING THE NUCLEAR WEAPONRY! WE NEED TO EVACUATE AND TELL EVERYONE TO TAKE COVER!"

_"Sky, what does 'everyone' mean-"_

"EVERYONE, THEY'RE GONNA BLOW THE WHOLE WORLD TO HELL!"

Sky looked around anxiously, trying to find a way down into Pahkitew's depths. A tree toppled, sparking as it went. Sky leaped out of the way with Dave in tow. The island was breaking apart and she had no doubt that if she were to go down there to help him she'd just end up trapped down there with them.

_"I'll...see what I can do," _Evil One said anxiously. _"Jasmine and I are coming to pick you up."_

"Got it," Sky said. "Once you get here we'll see if we can get in contact with Max, he's not picking up right now. He's headed after Alejandro below."

_"What? By himself?"_

Sky looked up at the atmosphere above her as another missile was launched. "It looks like it's up to him to shut the controls down."

_"That's...insane."_

Sky grabbed her arm tightly, nearly letting Dave slide over her shoulder before she steadied herself in time. "I know. But it's all we've got."

* * *

Considering the amount of chaos on Pahkitew's surface, it felt altogether far too quiet underneath. Max's heartbeat accelerated exponentially, his arms shaking as he glanced around for anything he could use as a weapon. He was bruised and bleeding all over from Scarlett's beatdown, and he didn't know how well he'd be able to actually fight against Alejandro in this state. Then again, Alejandro was currently nursing both a nasty head wound and several bullet wounds in the gut, courtesy of Dave. Maybe now the fight would be a bit more fair.

Max passed a sparking cabinet, which he opened to uncover bits of old paintball gear, abandoned and left to rot over the years. It was better than nothing at any rate, and considering Alejandro's injuries it could actually prove to be incredibly useful. He picked up the gun, holding it shaking in his hands, feeling a bit silly in spite of himself.

He heard footsteps down the hall, creaking, gusts of wind threatening to break apart the ceiling above him and the floor beneath him. He perused his memory to all those years ago, when they'd had to navigate the underground in order to stop Scarlett from blowing up the island. Somehow he felt a longing for simpler times. Relatively, of course.

"Are you seriously coming after me?" Alejandro's voice echoed through the halls, and Max whipped around back and forth, unable to determine the source. _"Seriously? _What happened to Sky, huh? She too busy with her freak of an ex? Or maybe Scarlett's already killed her."

"Scarlett's dead," Max replied. "I killed her."

"You did WHAT?"

Max briefly saw a figure at the end of the hall, who fired off a few shots in his direction, bursting a pipe in front of him and spewing gas from it. Max felt a twinge of pain from his shoulder as the shot grazed it. He held up the paintball gun and fired a bit, to no avail.

"Forgive me if I don't believe you." Alejandro's voice echoed across, growing more distant. Max moved his short stubby legs, following nervously, arms shaking. He was acutely aware of the pain he was feeling all over.

"You're stalling," Max said, voice quavering slightly. "Are you dying too?"

Max turned the corner and was greeted by a shot coming directly towards him, which he barely dodged by moving back behind the wall. He fired off a few shots himself, the lights flickering bright enough for him to see Alejandro on the other side. A shot hit Alejandro in his head wound. As he screamed, he dropped the gun to the ground, holding both hands to his head as he grimaced and let out a whimper of pain.

"You little SHIT!"

Max looked down to see he had one shot left and he had no ammo with which to reload. All he'd succeeded to do was piss people off yet again. It was all he was ever good for, it looked like.

Alejandro and Max stood awkwardly before Max started to move towards Alejandro. Al turned another corner and with one hand on his gunshot wound went into a sprint, somehow still having enough energy to run despite all the injuries he'd sustained. Well, if Alejandro could still run after all that so could Max. Max broke out into a run despite his haggard physical state, trying to get a clear shot at Alejandro that would actually do something other than piss him off.

Alejandro came to a stop as he reached a door that stood open ajar, slowing down and entering the room. Blue lights illuminated Alejandro's face as his stomach turned. He faced the controls where Scarlett had taken control of the island all those years ago, and now where the nuclear missiles were being armed.

Max let off his final shot, the paintball hitting Alejandro in his gunshot wound. Alejandro howled in pain as he crumpled to his knees, clutching his wound.

"You're finished," Max said, more confidently than he felt. "Give up NOW."

"You idiot..." Alejandro said, gesturing to the control panel. "It's over...it's all over..."

Max moved into the room, his paintball gun still pointed at Alejandro despite its lack of ammo. His eyes found the control panel that was currently directing the missiles. The controls lay slashed, sparking from a wide array of knife slashes, completely inoperable. On the screen above, Max saw a number of targets on the screen, ranging the entire globe. From Berlin, to London, to San Francisco, to Toky

"She got here first," Max realized in growing horror.

"We're done," Alejandro groaned. "She and Dave...they organized it so everything would go off at the same time. They set the island to explode. It's done."

Max dropped his weapon to the ground, moving past Alejandro heaving and clutching his wound to look at the carnage. The timer read two minutes until each missile would find their mark. They were spaced enough so that even those who survived would be unable to recover. Millions if not billions more would die on top of all the shit Max had caused.

Max cupped his hands around his face, trying to steady his breathing. When he finally felt like he was able to control himself, he found an outlet on the control board that remained undamaged.

"MIC, can I upload you into this?"

_"Think so, don't know how much I'll be able to do."_

Max held up the chip containing MIC and connected it to the board. A whirring sound and MIC's voice expanded to fill the room.

A sharp pain pierced Max's back and he cried out, tumbling to the floor. A beaten, bloodied Alejandro stood over him, limping over his direction, ready to kill him.

"What are you doing?" Max asked, horrified. "I'm trying to save us!"

"Look at it from my point of view!" Alejandro's voice cracked and he laughed mirthlessly, staggering and clenching his teeth. "There's nothing left for me! It's best just to let it all die. Then I won't have to deal with it anymore."

"You'll kill Heather too! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

"Don't you understand?" Alejandro snarled, stumbling slightly. "We're ALL doomed, no matter what. Even if you deactivate it we'll be executed anyway! I know it, YOU know it! SO WHY BOTHER?"

Gritting his teeth, Max punched Alejandro in the gut, his hand getting soaked with blood as the Spaniard fell back down to his knees, sputtering. Max groaned as he moved around slightly.

"MIC, can you deactivate the missiles?"

_"Whatever she did has made me unable to deactivate the weapons, or the imminent countdown. I am not sure how. I'm sorry, Max."_

"It's over...it's over..." Alejandro coughed slightly, breathing heavily and still holding his hand tight to his wound.

"Wait..." Max heaved, moving back over to the controls. "MIC, can you redirect where the missiles are going?"

Silence for a moment on the AI's end as it calculated. _"Yes. I believe I can."_

Max heard something through his headset, a faint static and someone yelling. "Yes? Hello? Who is this?"

The voice became clearer and Sky's voice came through. Something about the room's status as the control room allowed the signal to be accepted.

_"Max! Oh, thank God! Scarlett and Dave got there first, they-"_

"I know," Max grimaced. "I can see it now. MIC...can you send the missiles to space?"

_"What?" _Sky's voice came through._ "MIC has control?"_

"It's hopeless..." Alejandro muttered from behind Max, trying to get back to his feet, only to fall back to the ground again.

_"Yes," _MIC said simply. _"Why?"_

"Well we can't put it in the water, that'd just make everything even worse," Max said. "So can you put them in space in time?"

_"What?" _Sky's voice came through the speaker. _"Wait, Max, what are you saying?"_

_"Yes, with two seconds to spare, so complying now unless waiting further instructions." _MIC's voice sounded uncertain.

"What the hell are you _DOING?"_ Alejandro yelled. "That won't change the fact that this island is going to blow! There's no point to it Max, you're not gonna live, and I'M not gonna live, SO WHAT'S THE POINT?"

"IT'S NOT ABOUT US ANYMORE!" Max yelled back at him. "LOOK AROUND, ALEJANDRO! MILLIONS DIED BECAUSE OF ME AND I'M NOT GONNA LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN!"

_"T minus thirty seconds to detonation."_

Alejandro's body stilled as he seemed to comprehend what was about to happen. "I'm about to die..." he said, tears flowing freely down his face. "I'm really about to die..."

_"Max, can we get you out of there?"_

"No time," Max said, a certain serenity taking over him as he gazed over the controls. "MIC, what are the effects of nuclear detonation in space?"

_"On a scale like this? Worldwide electromagnetic pulse. Should fry the majority of people's electricity."_

"It'll have to do," Max sighed, running his hands through his hair.

_"Max, what the hell is going on? Do you need help? H-How can I help? MAX?"_

_"T minus fifteen seconds to detonation."_

"I'm sorry Sky," Max said, closing his eyes. "This is it. I just have one request."

_"What?"_

"Don't tell the story like I'm some kind of hero. Goodbye, Sky."

_"WAIT MAX-"_

Max picked up his headset and smashed it.

_"T minus ten seconds to detonation. Nine. Eight."_

"I'm sorry, Heather..." Alejandro said weakly, the tears still coming. "I'm sorry..."

_"Seven. Six. Five."_

Max glanced at the screen, seeing that the missiles were rising steadily into the atmosphere. Signal Industries had done its job too well, he supposed. They'd make it in time. Thank God.

_"Four."_

A million thoughts passed through his mind. Everything that led up to this moment. Everyone who'd ever laid down their lives for him. All the people he killed, and more importantly all the people he'd cruelly left alive. Izzy's corpse by this point was ingrained in his skull but now at the end he found himself recalling the time they'd spent while she was still alive.

_"Three."_

Although he'd never liked Moreau, he wondered if the man had felt this way in his final moments. How interesting, that both of them would now be sacrificing their lives for the cause, when only a month prior they'd been mortal enemies. He wondered if Moreau would be proud.

_"Two."_

His thoughts turned to those still living, for better or worse. Sky. Evil One. Noah. Jasmine. They'd all have to carry on with a broken world, and he didn't like it just as much as they did. But they would have to make do.

Something came to his mind, and Max out a small sigh and a laugh, finally coming to the sad realization of the truth. Of the entire culmination of his life.

He shook his head mildly, accepting his fate. "What a cliche..."

_"One. It's been an honor, sir."_

Max closed his eyes.

* * *

The aircraft set down on Pahkitew's edge, nearby the crash of Alejandro's hovercraft. Jasmine sat in the pilot's seat while Evil One stepped out of the doors, glancing frantically around for any glimpse of Sky or Max. Finally, he saw a figure emerging from over the woods, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Sky running towards them, an unconscious Dave slung across her back.

"C'mon, c'mon!" Evil One yelled, helping her onboard. "Where's Max? What's going on? Why the HELL did you bring DAVE?"

"Max...isn't gonna make it," Sky said simply. "Now MOVE IT, GET OUT OF HERE! THE ISLAND'S GONNA BLOW!"

"What about the missiles?" Jasmine yelled from the cockpit.

"Max sent them into space, apparently it'll create a worldwide EMP. Will that harm us?"

"This doesn't run on electricity, fortunately," Evil One said, sitting down as the ship started to take off. "We'll be fine."

"Pull it into overdrive!" Sky yelled at Jasmine.

"I'm trying!" Jasmine responded, equally frustrated. The ship sped forward, and the sound of an explosion from behind them. Sky glanced back through the window as Pahkitew exploded in spectacular manner. The island broke apart at the seams, debris flying into the air as the explosion blew everything sky high, hot enough to melt some of it even. The sinking feeling in her chest deepened.

Then it felt like the world was ending around them as the missiles detonated in the atmosphere above. While the nuclear devices would not explode while in space, the sheer amount of energy being released worldwide caused a rumbling sound to resonate across the entire Earth, rippling the waves beneath. It was done.

For better or worse, Max, Alejandro, and Scarlett were dead.

"Guess you were right about the EMP," Jasmine said from the cockpit. "We just lost radio contact."

Evil One looked back in shock. "So he was...he was...Max is..." Tears welled up in Evil One's eyes, and once more Sky seemed unsure of what to do.

"He's dead," Sky said simply.

Evil One steadied his breathing slightly, and managed to calm himself. His eyes shifted towards the unconscious and bruised Dave. His scowl set as he remembered the person who'd killed Izzy. "Why...the hell...did you bring him along?"

Sky sighed, looking over at Dave with an odd mixture of revulsion and pity. "You know what...death is just too good for him."

Evil One looked at the killer with revulsion before turning as Sky sat down. "So what now?"

"Now," Sky said solemnly. "We see what kind of world we have waiting for us."

* * *

**Headlines taken from the week after the exposure of Alejandro and Heather's plan:**

**ALEJANDRO BURROMUERTO RESPONSIBLE FOR MAX'S RISE TO POWER, KILLED MOREAU**

**MAX HISCOCK AND ALEJANDRO BURROMUERTO BOTH DEAD, HEATHER TO FACE IMPRISONMENT**

**EMP FROM NUCLEAR BLASTS WIPE OUT WORLD'S ELECTRICITY, RECOVERY EXPECTED TO LAST MONTHS (BETTER THAN BEING DEAD)**

**TSUNAMIES**

**CONSPIRACY UNRAVELS, MAX HISCOCK MANIPULATED ON ALL COUNTS**

**RIOTS IN NEW YORK CONTAINED, ORDER IMPOSED**

**PEACE TALKS BETWEEN NATIONS TAKING PLACE OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, DIVISION OF TERRITORY LIKELY**

* * *

The police escort stopped outside of the ETOD. A number of policemen stood guard with shields, as rioters screamed and spit and threw rocks. The policemen remained rigid and unmovable. Jasmine stood on the steps of the ETOD as the car doors opened, and Heather limped out, clearly in pain and not supposed to be walking at all. A bandage remained wrapped around her leg and jaw, and the week or two that had passed had done nothing to improve her appearance. Her hair was messy and damp, and her legs trembled with each step.

The police moved her along. It wasn't exactly gentle but as Jasmine looked down at her and the two made eye contact, Jasmine motioned for the policemen to stand down.

"Yes?" Jasmine asked coldly.

"I just wanted you to know..." Heather said weakly, her bandage obscuring your words slightly. "When I stabbed Noah...I...I wasn't expecting him to come. I was expecting _you. _I wanted you to kill me. I...was hoping you would kill me."

"But I didn't come, so you didn't," Jasmine replied, stone cold. "Is that why you mocked me about Shawn?"

"I...yes." Heather's eyes welled up again. "I didn't want to do it anymore. I wanted it to end. But I was too scared to do it myself...I'd be letting Alejandro down." Her voice choked inside her throat as her voice rose in pitch. "And now that he's gone I don't..._I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."_

Jasmine's expression didn't change as the former manipulator finally lost it completely. She held up a hand and the guards continued pushing her along. She'd spend the rest of her life in prison. Part of her felt pity. Most did not.

Heather entered the ETOD and out of Jasmine's sight. She pulled out her phone and made a call. Yes, she wanted to speak to Sky. Oh, she was indisposed? Okay, just let her know that the doctor requested a visit. No, we don't know if it's because he survived, or because he's ready to receive visitors. What do you want here? Okay, goodbye.

Jasmine hung up and started moving. It was impossible to get anywhere at this point in time. But this was important. It was time to see how a friend was doing, after all. Sky could meet her after she was finished inside. Evil One was supposedly already there.

Time to move on.

* * *

The cell that had once held Scarlett, then Max, had remained brightly lit for all those months. Now, after the EMP, the room and corridor outside was dark, befitting of the individual currently being held inside. Sky moved through the hallways anxiously, glancing in at the prisoners inside. Alejandro had imprisoned those who'd spoken out against him, and now they would be processed in files to see if they actually deserved to be there.

Like several others before her, Sky now stood before three sets of doors that slowly opened before her. Dave sat in his cell, staring blankly ahead, the dim lights flickering slightly. A bandage wrapped around his forehead from where Sky had slammed him into a tree. He'd refused to speak after waking up, and was either facing a lifetime in prison or a psychiatric ward. Sky was almost positive that he'd been hoping to be killed on that island, whether he consciously realized it or not.

"Hi, Dave," Sky said softly, sitting down on the other side of the glass. Dave didn't move in the slightest, not even acknowledging her presence. "I came to see you. I...wondered how you were doing. With all this."

Silence on the other end. Sky sighed and relaxed her posture slightly. "Please talk to me. There's no reason for you to ignore me. It's just petty."

"Petty?" Dave's voice came out in a high-pitched rasp. Finally, he made eye contact with her. "Petty...please...tell me more."

"Yes, it's petty," Sky said, looking over at him. "Everything about you is petty. You just tried to kill billions of people. And for what, again? Couple of slights? Normal people don't work that way."

Dave let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, do you think I don't know that? Do you think I haven't just..._tried _letting things go?" Dave rose to his feet, staring coldly at Sky. "I hate you just as much as I did when you broke my heart on the island. If there weren't glass between us right now, I'd be trying to throttle you."

Sky felt queasy again. "So...you KNOW what you did is wrong? There goes your insanity defense."

Dave giggled. "Oh, I KNOW I'm too far gone, Sky. But by this point I don't care! Look at us, Sky! We won!"

"You failed!" Sky yelled, taking a defensive pose. "You tried to kill everyone and you failed!"

"Wrong!" Dave laughed. "Look around, Sky! Who did Scarlett want to kill the absolute MOST? Well guess what? Max is _DEAD! _I wanted Alejandro gone, and now he's dead too!" He dissolved into a laughing fit before regaining control of himself, letting out a sigh as his body language relaxed as he slid forward, still looking at Sky.

"I guess I didn't think of it that way..." Sky muttered, stomach rising again.

"You don't think at ALL!" Dave laughed. "And guess what, Sky? _You're the last one." _

"What?" Sky asked, voice rising in terror as a grin slowly spread across Dave's face, stance becoming almost predatory.

"I killed Max. I killed Alejandro," Dave said, voice rising in pitch and frequency. "All that's left...is you. And let me assure you, that until my dying breath you will NEVER keep me down." Sky backed up as Dave slammed his fists on the glass. "I'LL FIND YOU, YOU HEAR ME?" His voice suddenly became very quiet. "Maybe when you're on a walk, maybe when you're fucking some guy, maybe when you're taking a shit...I'll be there. You'll slip up, Sky." Dave's eyes remained glassy as he stood up straight.

"And then, once I'm done with you, I'll finally be able to kill myself, knowing that I'll finally be at peace."

It was quiet for a few moments as Sky's heartbeat started to slow back down. Tears rose to her eyes as she realized just how far he'd fallen.

"Is..is that what you really think, Dave?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Dave sneered, sitting back down.

Sky sighed, clutching her arms slightly. "The reason you're not dead right now...it's partly because I feel you didn't deserve it. I think...I think you projected your self-hate onto everyone else. And once you'd killed everyone you'd have no one left to hate but yourself." Sky became more confident, straightening her posture. "I wanted to show you that firsthand."

"Cruel mercy?" Dave laughed. "You stupid bi-"

"And I'm sorry," Sky choked out. Dave stopped mid-laugh, his expression fading slightly on his face as the shock of what she had just said hit him.

"You..._what?"_

"I'm sorry I hurt you," Sky said, the emotion rising in her voice. "It was wrong of me, and I shouldn't have done what I did. You...you're not okay in the head. And instead of treating you the way we did we should have gotten you help. Maybe that's Chris's fault for leaving you on the island for as long as he did, but...this could have been avoided. I'm sorry you ended up replacing me with Alejandro and got betrayed even worse. I'm sorry."

Dave didn't move, his face still frozen in shock, seemingly unable to comprehend the words she was saying.

"But that doesn't _excuse what you did." _Sky's face darkened, and the pity was completely overtaken by disgust. "You may not be right in the head, but most people don't act the way YOU did. You didn't have to kill Izzy, but you did anyway. You tried to kill EVERYONE IN THE WORLD. You can't justify that. And you know what? THAT is why I left you alive. Because killing you would have been the easy way out for you. You wouldn't have to face any consequence for your actions. I was hoping that you didn't understand what you were doing wrong so you could get sent to a psychiatric ward. But now that I realize that you just don't care?"

Sky paused before continuing. "You can _burn in hell."_

The two remained still for a few moments as her words set in. Dave's eyes appeared glassier than usual.

Then, to Sky's surprise, tears began pouring down his face as his shoulders heaved. He'd forgone the loud, obnoxious crying of the past, and he wept quietly, trying to stand before collapsing to the ground. Sky looked down in shock as he continued, curling up into the fetal position. Guilt racked Sky's body as she looked down at the crying boy in front of her. Slowly, she backed away, hands in her pockets, and walked quickly away from the sight, leaving Dave curled up on the floor behind her.

* * *

Evil One stood in front of the hospital room, nurses wheeling stretchers back and forth. Phone calls continued to ring as the hospital he was currently standing in continued to be one of the busiest places in the entire city. He tapped his foot anxiously, waiting for his two compatriots to join him.

Finally, he saw two women moving towards him, one significantly taller than the other.

"Thank God you're here," Evil One said, sighing in relief. "I've been waiting for you guys to finish your errands."

"It was...more difficult that I expected," Sky said. "But I had to get some closure. You know."

"Likewise," Jasmine nodded in agreement.

Evil One smiled. "That's good to hear...I think. Anyways-"

"You three here to see Noah Grant?" a doctor asked, interrupting Evil One, who looked miffed for some reason. The doctor adjusted her clipboard and glasses slightly. "Well, he's ready to see you now. At any rate."

"How is he? Other than that?" Sky asked.

The doctor grit her teeth slightly. "I'll have to let him tell you."

"Dr. Bishop!" someone called from down the hall. "New batch of patients, coming in!"

"I'll be right there!" the doctor called. "Gotta go. Hope he's more responsive to you than he was to me. Hell, I'm technically supposed to be on leave after I got held hostage by two lunatics."

"Scarlett and Dave?" Evil One asked incredulously.

"You know 'em?" the doctor asked, sounding bored. "Why am I not surprised? Anyway, gotta go. Try not to kill him by accident."

The three entered the hospital room to see Noah sitting upright in his bed, looking haggard and frankly almost dead.

"Noah?" Jasmine asked nervously as the three moved towards him.

"Hi, guys," Noah said, sounding even more dead inside than usual. He turned his head to see them. "So Max is dead, huh? And Scarlett and Al..."

"Yup," Sky said. "The fight isn't over, though. We still have a lot of work to do."

_"You _still have a lot of work to do," Noah corrected her, looking down at his legs.

"What do you mean?" Jasmine asked.

"You didn't hear the news?" Noah scoffed, before his face softened up again. "I'm...never going to walk again. The knife gave me permanent nerve damage. I'm gonna have to use a wheelchair for the rest of my life.

"Oh no!" Sky said. "That's terrible!"

"Oh really?" Noah sneered. "I had NO idea! Do you have any idea how much pain I'm in right now?"

"She didn't mean anything by it," Evil One said. "Back off. I'm sorry to hear, but it's not like there's much we can do."

"Preaching to the choir, aren't we?" Noah continued. "Look at me, James. I lost to _Heather. _While you all were out there fighting for the sake of the world I was on the floor being useless and bleeding out-" His emotions seemed to rise as tears flowed down his face, the facade of anger giving way to just how much he was hurting, both physically and mentally.

"Are you okay for hugging?" Jasmine asked, moving in just in case.

"No," Noah snapped, his voice still hollow. "I don't need it. I failed. I don't deserve it."

"Did you though?" Evil One asked innocently, all eyes turning to him. "I mean, even if you didn't participate in the final battle...weren't you the one who clued Izzy and I in about the conspiracy? Then you took the leadership role and directed us. You might not have been able to help us in the final battle, but...you were probably the only reason we got there in the first place."

Noah was quiet for a few moments, and he shifted his head so he was staring at the wall. "...thank you. I do appreciate it. But...could you all please just...leave?"

"But-" Sky interrupted.

_"Please," _Noah said desperately, clenching his fist tightly. "Just...leave. I need to be alone."

The three looked around at each other sadly, before looking back at the broken man before them.

"Okay," Evil One said meekly. The three turned and walked away.

Noah watched them go. Once they were gone, he closed his eyes. What he hadn't told them was that he hadn't been allowed anywhere near his pill bottles. Not after they'd left it on the counter and he'd promptly downed the entire bottle. He was effectively imprisoned until they could be sure that he wouldn't try again.

As Noah drifted off into sleep, his troubles lifted and, until he woke up again, he would have peace.

* * *

Evil One sat down on the steps outside, wrapping his arms around his legs and putting his head near his knees. Sky moved to sit next to him while Jasmine took the other side, her large size making things rather awkward for her.

"What the hell do we do now?" Evil One asked weakly. "Max is dead...Moreau's dead...we're not in control of the peace talks. We just have to trust that they'll work out. So what the hell do we do now?"

"I don't know," Sky admitted. "Maybe...maybe just take a break."

"I'm going to organize a funeral for Shawn," Jasmine said. "I don't know whether or not Moreau or Max will have one. If so there probably wouldn't really be a body left for them, but..."

"We'll give them funerals," Evil One said, sounding certain of himself for once. "They deserve at least that much."

"Do they, though?" Sky asked. "They both...had their flaws."

"Don't we all?" Evil One pointed out. Sky didn't really have anything to say to that.

The three sat in silence for a while before Jasmine finally broke it. "Maybe we could start by helping the people directing the peace talks," she said "God knows we can shed some light on what's really gone on here. We don't want things to be remembered incorrectly."

"Yeah..." Evil One rose to his feet, smiling. "I still have bits from my Archive that can help. How do we get there?"

"Just one question," Sky said as we rose to her feet. "Max said he didn't want to be remembered as a hero. How the hell are we supposed to tell this story?"

The silence continued. It was an apt thing, silence. It represented all that was not and what would never be. And while it represented uncertainty, it would soon give way to what _would_ be.

"We do the best we can," Evil One said, and the three began to walk down the sidewalk, through the war-torn world, and hopefully toward a better tomorrow.

* * *

_A Note From The Author:_

_Writing is hard. Writing a story that is incredibly convoluted and not at all black and white is even harder. When I began this project my main goal was to tell Max's story, of how he realized he "was hopelessly and pathetically out of his depth." This has evolved to some extent to include the tales of Moreau, of Dave, of Scarlett. I've been very lucky in the resources I've been gifted. Possibly the most vital source of information provided to me was the recordings left behind by Marcus Gibson. He clandestinely spied on his superiors and provided the clearest picture of Alejandro and Heather's actions, possibly even more than my interviews with Heather herself._

_It just so happens that I've finished writing this on the day that the bill deciding whether or not to erect statues of Max and Moreau was finally decided. It was decided that in honor of his words to Sky that Max would not receive a statue, and as such neither would Moreau. Both would however receive a museum dedicated to telling every single possible side to this story. And really, I think that's what both of them would have wanted. _

_It's been a long eight years since the worldwide electromagnetic pulse, the end of Max, Moreau, and Alejandro's reigns. The world is set on a slow recovery, and by that I do mean SLOW. It'll be at least three lifetimes before we're anywhere close to where we once were. The damage done to this planet is inexcusable and unforgivable, and writing about such tragedies has been hard. _

_However, I retain hope that at least some people will be able to live out the rest of their lives in relative peace, capable of finding some solace, whether it be through this story or whatever personal closure they may want. I know as I'm writing this right now, I certainly feel some sense of it. In a way this has been a way for me to cope with the losses I've felt, and the life I continue living._

_It's hard to write a story without bias that you are so deeply involved in. I hope I did a decent job._

_Until next time._

_Sincerely,_

_The man formerly known as Evil One,_

_James C. Brass_

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**This has been the longest chapter of my entire fanfiction career, and I couldn't be happier.**

**On November 23, 2014, or 1 year, 5 months, and 25 days ago, I began this fic on the same day I ended From Drama to Death, my other major project. I couldn't have expected how big this would grow in my head, or how it would all stem from the simple question "what if Max actually took over the world?"**

**Now, in 2016 I've finally completed it, and I can safely say that this is my favorite work I've ever done. Even though it hasn't achieved near as much popularity as FDTD, those who've stuck around clearly are passionate about it and I thank you all who've stuck with it this far. I greatly appreciate you.**

**The ride doesn't stop here.**

**This is an entire world that I've thought about, and lots of things I couldn't fit into the story itself. Backstories for characters such as Moreau and Evil One. Changes that I made to the story's plot, all held on an unedited Google Doc from over a year ago. It's all there, and I can continue supplying it to you, either through PM, through gmail exchange, whatever. **

**The final plot twist, namely, that Evil One is the narrator has been foreshadowed for quite some time now. Apart from his personality being based around recording, you might notice slight...slips from third person to first person in the narration, almost always when Evil One is involved in the scene. It's very subtle stuff and I'd actually encourage you all to reread the fic keeping that in mind, and the questions that might come up because of it. **

**As for what Evil One, Sky, Jasmine, Noah, Heather, and Dave do next? As with my previous fic, I leave it up to you to decide. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. I'd love to hear ALL your thoughts on it, the good and the bad.**

**I'm posting a poll to my profile that'll ask if there's a character you wish survived. There will be three choices and it'll be good.**

**I feel very emotional typing this up. This has comprised almost a year and a half of my life and now that it's over I don't know what to do. I'll likely fade out of the TD fandom completely after this, and move on to original works. If you ever want a glimpse of that, all you need to do is ask.**

**Thank you so much for making it this far, and I hope you've enjoyed.**

**See you guys.**


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